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diff --git a/44172-0.txt b/44172-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a658f9a --- /dev/null +++ b/44172-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4665 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44172 *** + +[Illustration: THE MOTOR CARAVAN ON THE WAY.] + + + + + ROY BLAKELEY’S MOTOR CARAVAN + + BY + + PERCY KEESE FITZHUGH + + Author of + + TOM SLADE, BOY SCOUT, TOM + SLADE AT BLACK LAKE, + ROY BLAKELEY, ETC. + + ILLUSTRATED + + PUBLISHED WITH THE APPROVAL OF + THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA + + GROSSET & DUNLAP + PUBLISHERS—NEW YORK + + Made in the United States of America + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY + GROSSET & DUNLAP + + + + + Table of Contents + + I—Some Expedition! + II—Who We All Are + III—Who Is Pee-Wee Harris, and If So, Why? + IV—Pee-Wee’s Watch + V—The Caravan + VI—Stranded + VII—A Good Turn + VIII—Grumpy + IX—Military Plans + X—The Signal Corps at Work + XI—A Mysterious Footprint + XII—A Discovery + XIII—Tom Slade, Scout + XIV—Pee-Wee’s Goat + XV—The Message + XVI—Brent’s Ambition + XVII—A Side Show + XVIII—A Shower Bath + XIX—Brent Gets His Wish + XX—We Consider Our Predicament + XXI—Getting Started + XXII—Silence! + XXIII—Fixing It + XXIV—Snoozer Settles It + XXV—Big Excitement at Barrow’s Homestead + XXVI—To the Rescue + XXVII—Another Discovery + XXVIII—A Mysterious Paper + XXIX—The Mystery Deepens + XXX—We Make a Promise + XXXI—We Reach Our Destination + XXXII—Surrender and Indemnity + XXXIII—Mobilizing + XXXIV—Tr-r-aitors! + XXXV—Peace With Indemnity + XXXVI—Scouts on the Job + XXXVII—That Mysterious Paper Again + XXXVIII—The Only Way + + + + + ROY BLAKELEY’S MOTOR CARAVAN + + + + + CHAPTER I—SOME EXPEDITION! + + +Gee whiz, whenever I see that fellow Harry Domicile, I know there’s +going to be a lot of fun. Just the same as I can always tell if we’re +going to have mince turnovers for dessert. That’s one thing I’m crazy +about—mince turnovers. I can tell when I go through the kitchen if +we’re going to have them, because our cook has a kind of a look on her +face. I can eat five of those things at a sitting, but that isn’t saying +how many I can eat standing up. Pee-wee Harris can eat seven, even while +he’s talking at the same time. Anyway, that hasn’t got anything to do +with Harry Donnelle. + +Maybe you’re wondering why I named this chapter “Some Expedition.” If it +was about Pee-wee Harris, I’d name it “Some _Exhibition_,” because that +kid is a regular circus. So now I guess I’ll tell you. + +One afternoon I was sitting on the railing of our porch taking a rest +after mowing the lawn. I was thinking how it would be a good idea if +they had lawn mowers that run by gas engines. We’ve got a great big lawn +at our house. At Doc Carson’s house they have a little bit of a +lawn—he’s lucky. Gee whiz, you could cut that lawn with a safety razor. + +All of a sudden I saw Harry Donnelle coming up the street. I guess maybe +you know who he is, because we had some adventures with him in other +stories. He’s a big fellow, I guess he’s about twenty-five. He was a +lieutenant in the war. My sister likes him a lot only she said I mustn’t +say so in a story. I should worry about her. He comes up to our house a +lot. Believe me, that fellow’s middle name is adventure. He says all his +ancestors were crazy about adventures. He says he wouldn’t have any +ancestors unless they were. He says that’s why he picked them out. Gee +williger, you ought to hear him jollying Pee-wee. He told Pee-wee that +once he lived in obscurity and Pee-wee wanted to know where that was. +Can you beat that? Harry told him it was in Oregon. Good night! + +So as soon as I saw that fellow coming up across the lawn, I kind of +knew there was going to be something doing. Because only a few days +before that he had told me that maybe he would want my patrol to help +him in a daring exploit. Oh, boy, those are my favorite outdoor +sports—daring exploits. I eat them alive. + +He said, “Hello, kid, I went fishing with Jake Holden last night and we +got into a school of perch.” + +I said, “Don’t talk about school; this is vacation.” + +He had a bundle with some perch in it and he said they were for supper. +So I took them into the kitchen and while I was in there I ate some +icing off a cake. If I had my way cakes would be all icing, but our cook +says you have to have a foundation to put the icing on. Me for the roof. + +When I went back Harry said, “I suppose you kids will be starting for +that old dump up in the Catskills pretty soon.” He meant Temple Camp. I +said, “We take our departure in two weeks.” + +He said, “Take your which?” + +I said, “Our departure; don’t you know what that is?” + +“Well,” he said, kind of puzzled like, “I guess I’ll have to pike around +and get some assistance somewhere else. I’ve got a little job on hand +that I thought might interest you and your patrol. Ever hear of the +Junkum Corporation, automobile dealers? They have the agency for the +Kluck car. They’re down in New York. It wasn’t anything much; just a +little hop, skip, and a jump out west, and back again.” + +“In junk cars—I mean Kluck cars?” I blurted out. + +“Mostly junk,” he said; “but of course, as long as your plans are +made——” + +“Never you mind about our plans,” I told him; “tell me all about it.” +Because, gee, I was all excited. + +He said, “Well, there isn’t much to it; just a little gypsy and caravan +stuff, as you might say. My sister’s husband’s brother, Mr. Junkum, is +tearing his hair out and lying awake nights, because he can’t get cars +here from the west. He says the customers are standing on line and all +that sort of thing and that everything is clogged up at the other end, +the railroads are all tied up in a knot, the freight is piled up as high +as the Woolworth building and nothing short of a good dose of dynamite +will loosen up the freight congestion out west. If it was a matter of +Ford cars he could get them through by parcel post, but with these big +six cylinder Klucks it’s a different proposition. He’s got three touring +cars and a big motor van waiting for shipment out in Klucksville, +Missouri, and if he can’t make deliveries in a couple of weeks or so his +customers are going to cancel. Poor guy, I’m sorry for him.” + +That’s just the way Harry talks. He said, “One of those cars, the big +enclosed van, is for Jolly and Kidder’s big store in New York.” + +“That’s where I bought my last scout suit, at Jolly and Kidder’s,” I +told him. + +Then he said, “Junkum wanted me to see if I couldn’t round up two or +three fellows and bang out to Klucksville and bring the cars home under +their own power. I told him the roads were punk and he said it’s punk to +have your business canceled, so there you are.” + +“Oh, bibbie,” I said, “we’d love to do that only we can’t run cars on +account of not being old enough.” + +Then he said, “I rounded up Tom Slade and he agreed to die for the +cause—said his vacation was at my disposal. He drove a motor truck in +France and he’s a bug on good turns. Rossie Bent has promised to run one +of the touring cars, I’m going to run the van myself and that leaves one +touring car. I tried to get Brent Gaylong on the long distance ’phone up +at Newburgh to-day, but he wasn’t home—out grouching around, I suppose. +His mother said she’d have him call me up or wire me. All I want now is +a commissary department and I got a kind of a hunch that maybe you kids +could camp in the van and cook for the crowd and make yourselves +generally useful. The way I figure it out by the road map there’ll be +long stretches of road where we won’t bunk into any towns. I figured on +taking Pee-wee along as a kind of a mascot; you know those little fancy +jim-cracks they put on radiator caps in autos? I thought he could be one +of those, as you might say, and bring us good luck. He’d be a whole +commissary department in himself, I suppose, considering the way he +eats. But if you can’t you can’t, and that’s all there is about it.” + +“What do you mean, _we can’t_?” I shouted at him. “You make me tired! Do +you suppose Temple Camp is going to run away just because my patrol is a +couple of weeks late getting there? You bet your life we’ll go. If you +try to sneak off without us, we’ll come after you. We’re coming back in +that motor van, so that’s settled. I should worry about Temple Camp.” + +He just sat there on the railing alongside of me, laughing. + +He said, “I thought it would hit you.” + +“Hit me!” I told him. “Believe me, it gave me a knockout blow.” + +He said he’d stay to supper so as to talk my mother and father into it, +because they don’t care anything about making long trips in motor vans +and things like that, and maybe they’d say I’d better not go. + +But, believe me, Harry Domicile knows how to handle mothers and fathers +all right, especially mothers. So don’t you worry, just leave it to him. + +The worst is yet to come. + + + + + II—WHO WE ALL ARE + + +What do you think my father said? He said he wished he was young enough +to go along. Oh, but he’s a peach of a father! So is my mother. My +sister Marjorie said she’d like to go too. Harry said that no girls were +allowed. He said that girls were supposed to stay home and receive +picture post-cards. Gee whiz, I’m sorry for them. I’m glad I’m not a +girl. But if I wasn’t a boy I’d like to be a girl. + +That night we had our regular troop meeting. Cracky, you can’t get that +bunch quiet enough to tell them anything. You know how it sounds in a +graveyard? And you know how it sounds in a saw mill? Well, a graveyard +sounds like a saw mill compared with the noise at one of our meetings. +So I told our scoutmaster, Mr. Ellsworth, that I had something to say +and he said they should let me have the chair. Then they began throwing +chairs at me. It’s good he didn’t tell them to let me have the floor, or +they’d have ripped that up, I suppose. + +“I’d like to get your ear,” I shouted. + +“You’ll get our goat if you don’t say what you’ve got to say,” Doc +Carson yelled. + +“I’m trying to say it if I can get your ear,” I said. + +“You can have anything except my mouth,” Pee-wee piped up. Good night, +he needs that. + +Then Mr. Ellsworth got them all quieted down and I told them how Harry +Domicile wanted the Silver Fox Patrol (that’s my patrol) to go out west +and how he wanted Pee-wee to go too, even though he was one of the +raving Ravens. I said the reason he wanted Pee-wee to go was so he could +blow up the tires and we wouldn’t have to have any pump. Pee-wee likes +auto tires, because they’re the same shape as doughnuts—that’s what I +told him. + +There’s one good thing about our troop and that is that one patrol never +gets jealous of another. If my patrol gets a chance to go somewhere the +other fellows don’t get mad, because they get more to eat. Absence makes +the dessert last longer. In our troop each patrol does as it +pleases—united we stand, divided we sprawl. Each patrol always has more +fun than the other patrols. So if everybody has more fun than anybody +else, they ought to be satisfied, I should hope. Pee-wee is in the +Ravens, because he got wished onto them when the troop started, but he +belongs to all three patrols, kind of. That’s because one patrol isn’t +big enough for him. He spreads out over three. + +So this is the last you’ll see of the Ravens and the Elks in this story. +Maybe you’ll say thank goodness for that. They went up to Temple Camp. +There were fifty-three troops up there and everybody had more dessert +because Pee-wee wasn’t there. So that shows you how my patrol did a good +turn for Temple Camp. Gee whiz, you have to remember to do good turns If +you’re a scout. + +Now this story is all about that trip that we made to bring back those +four machines, and believe me, we had some adventures. If you were to +see Jolly and Kidder’s big delivery van now, all filled up with bundles +and things C. O. D., you’d never suppose it had a dark past. But, +believe me, that past was darker than the Dark Ages. You learn about the +Dark Ages in the fifth grade—that’s Miss Norton’s class. She’s my +favorite teacher because she has to go to a meeting every afternoon and +she can’t keep us in. + +So now I guess I’ll start. The next morning who should show up but Brent +Gaylong. He didn’t even bother to wire. He said he didn’t believe in +telegrams and things like that when it came to adventures. He’s awful +funny, that fellow is—kind of sober like. He’s head of a troop up in +Newburgh and we met him when we were on a hike once. He can drive a Ford +so easy that you don’t know it’s moving. He says most of the time it’s +_not_ moving. He’s crazy about adventures. Good night, when he and Harry +Domicile start talking, we have to laugh. He said he’d do anything +provided we got into trouble. Harry told him there ought to be plenty of +trouble between Missouri and New York. That fellow tries awful hard to +get arrested but he never can. + +Now I’ll tell you about the other fellows. Harry was the captain—he had +charge of the whole outfit. I bet Mr. Junkum trusted him a lot. But one +thing, Harry never does anything for money. He says money is no good +except when it’s buried in the ground and you go and try to find it. +That’s the kind of a fellow he is. He didn’t get killed three times in +France. But he came mighty near it. He’s got the distinguished service +cross. He lives in Little Valley near Bridgeboro. Bridgeboro is my town. +I don’t mean I own it. Harry’s got a dandy Cadillac car of his own. He +takes my sister Marjorie out in it. + +There was one other big fellow that went on that trip and that was +Rossie Bent who works in the bank. He got his vacation especially so he +could go. He’s got light hair. Often when he sees me he treats me to a +soda. + +Tom Slade went so as to drive the fourth car, and he’s a big fellow too, +only you bet your life I’ll never call him a big fellow, because before +he went to the war he was in our troop. And even now he’s just like one +of us scouts. I guess maybe you know all about him. Believe me, the war +changed him more than it changed the map of Europe. + +That leaves Pee-wee and the rest of the fellows in my patrol. So now +I’ll tell you about them. First comes Roy Blakeley (that’s me), and I’m +patrol leader. That’s what makes me look so sober and worried like. I +have to take strawberry sundaes to build me up, on account of the strain +of managing that bunch. Next comes Westy Martin; he’s my special chum. +He’s got eleven merit badges. He’s awful careful. He does his homework +as soon as he gets home every day, so in case he gets killed it will be +done. I should worry about my homework if I got killed. Next comes Dorry +Benton, only he was in Europe with his mother so he didn’t go with us. +If he had gone with us he would have been there. Hunt Manners couldn’t +go because his brother was going to be married. The rest of the fellows +were Charlie Seabury and Will Dawson and the Warner twins, Brick and +Slick. They’re just the same, only each one of them is smarter than the +other. You can’t tell which is which, only one of them likes potatoes +and the other doesn’t. That’s the way I tell them apart. If I see one of +them eating potatoes I know it’s Slick. That leaves only one fellow, and +gee whiz, I’m going to give him a chapter all to himself and I hope +he’ll be satisfied. Some day he’ll have a whole book to himself, I +suppose. _Good night!_ + + + + + III—WHO IS PEE-WEE HARRIS, AND IF SO, WHY? + + +Anyway Pee-wee Harris _is_, that’s one sure thing. His mother calls him +Walter and my sisters call him Walter, but Pee-wee is his regular name. +He’s our young hero and some of the fellows call him Peerless Pee-wee, +and some of them call him Speck. + +If all of us fellows were automobiles, Pee-wee would be a Ford. That’s +because he’s the smallest and he makes the most noise. He eats all his +food running on high. He never has to shift his gears to eat dessert. +Even if it’s a tough steak he takes it on high. He’s a human cave. He’s +about three feet six inches in diameter and his tongue is about six feet +three inches long. He has beautiful brown curly hair and he’s just too +cute—that’s what everybody says. His nose has got three freckles on it. +He starts on compression. When he gets excited Webster’s Dictionary +turns green with envy. + +Now the way it was fixed was that we were all to meet at the Bridgeboro +Station at three o’clock the next day so as to get the three-eighteen +train for New York. Then we were going to go on the Lake Shore Limited +to Klucksville—that’s near St. Louis. + +When Pee-wee showed up at the station he looked like the leader of a +brass band. His scout suit was all pressed, his compass was dangling +around his neck, in case the Lake Shore Limited should lose its way, I +suppose, and his scout knife was hanging to his belt. He had his belt-ax +on too. I guess that was so he could chop his way through the forests if +the train got stalled. He had his camera and his air rifle and his swamp +boots and his scout whistle, and he had his duffel bag on the end of his +scout staff. And, oh, boy, he had a new watch. + +I said, “_Good night_, you must have been robbing the church steeple. +Where did you get that young clock? If it only had an electric bulb in +it we could use it for a headlight. Is it supposed to keep time?” + +“It ought to be able to keep a whole lot of time, it’s big enough,” +Harry said. “Are you going to take it with you or send it by express?” + +I said, “Oh, sure, a big watch like that can keep a lot of time; it +holds about a quart.” + +“You make me tired!” Pee-wee shouted. “It’s warranted for a year.” + +“I bet it takes a year to wind it up,” Westy said. + +“Anyway we can drink out of it if we get thirsty,” Will Dawson told him. +“It’s got a nice spring in it.” + +“It doesn’t vary a second,” Pee-wee shouted. “Look at the clock in the +station; that’s Western Union time.” + +Gee whiz, but that kid was proud of his new watch. He looked at it about +every ten seconds while we were waiting for the train, and every once in +a while he looked up at the sun. I guess maybe he thought the sun was a +little late, hey? When we got to the city he checked up all the clocks +he saw on the way over to the Grand Central Station, to see if they were +right, and when we were whizzing up along the Hudson on the Lake Shore +Limited he kept a time table in one hand and his watch in the other so +as to find out if we reached Poughkeepsie and Albany on time. + +Just before we all turned in for the night, Harry and Brent Gaylong went +over and sat by him and began jollying him about the watch. The rest of +us sprawled around on the Pullman seats, listening and laughing. Gee +whiz, when Harry and Brent Gaylong get together, _good night_! + +Harry said, “The trouble with those heavy duty watches is they’re not +intended for night work. They work all right in the daytime, but you see +at night when they haven’t got the sun to go by, they get to +sprinting——” + +“Do you know what kind of a watch this is?” Pee-wee shouted at him. +“It’s a scout watch——” + +Brent said in that sober way of his, “That’s just the trouble. Those +scout watches go scout-pace. A scout is always ahead of time; so is a +scout watch. If a scout watch is supposed to arrive at three o’clock, it +arrives at two—an hour beforehand. A scout is prompt.” + +“Positively,” Harry said; “by to-morrow morning that watch will be an +hour ahead of time. It’ll beat every other watch by an hour.” + +“I bet it’s right on the minute to-morrow morning,” Pee-wee shouted. +“That’s a scout watch; it’s advertised in _Boys’ Life_. The ad. said it +keeps perfect time.” + +“How long have you had it?” Rossie Bent wanted to know. + +“My father gave it to me for a present on account of this trip,” the kid +said; “he gave it to me just before I started off.” + +“So you haven’t had it overnight yet?” Brent asked him. “You don’t know +whether it’s good at night work or not.” + +“They always race in the dark,” Harry said; “that’s the trouble with +those boy scout watches.” + +By this time the colored porter and about half a dozen passengers were +standing around listening and laughing. + +Harry said, “Well, I’ll tell you what I’ll do, Kid. I happen to know +something about those watches and they’re not to be trusted. The boy +scout watch is a pile of junk. If that watch isn’t at least an hour +ahead of time when we sit down to breakfast to-morrow morning, I’ll buy +you the biggest pie they’ve got in the city of Cleveland. If your watch +is wrong by as much as an hour you’ll have to do a good turn between +every two stations we stop at till we get to Chicago. What do you say?” + +“I won’t have to worry about any good turns,” Pee-wee shot back at him. + +Harry said, “All right, is it a go?” + +“Sure it’s a go,” the kid shouted. “Mm! Mm! I’ll be eating pie all day +to-morrow.” + + + + + CHAPTER IV—PEE-WEE’S WATCH + + +I guess Pee-wee dreamed of pie that night. Anyway he didn’t wake up very +early in the morning. When the train stopped at Cleveland for eats, he +was dead to the world. The rest of us all went into the railroad station +for breakfast and Harry took a couple of sandwiches and a hard boiled +egg and a bottle of milk back to the train for our young hero when he +should wake up. + +When we were eating breakfast in the station, Harry said, “Well, I see +that none of you kids has ever been out west before. Hadn’t we better +set our watches?” + +I looked up at the clock in the station and, _good night_, then I knew +why he and Brent had been jollying Pee-wee the night before. The dock in +the station was an hour behind my watch. + +“Western time, boys,” Harry said; “set _your_ watches back.” + +“And keep still about it when you go back on the train,” Rossie said, +“if you want to see some fun.” + +“We’ve lost an hour,” Westy said. + +“Don’t you care,” Brent said; “don’t bother looking for it; we’ll find +it coming back.” + +Gee whiz, I had to laugh when I thought of Pee-wee lying sound asleep in +his upper berth with his trusty boy scout watch under his pillow. When +we went back on the train all the berths except Pee-wee’s were made into +seats. There were only about a half a dozen passengers besides ourselves +in that car, and Harry went around asking them all not to mention to +Pee-wee about western time. + +I guess it was about a half an hour later the kid woke up. He was so +sleepy that he never thought about the time till after he had got washed +and dressed, then he came staggering through the car wanting to know +where we were. The rest of us were all sprawling in the seats and the +passengers were smiling, because I guess they knew what was coming. + +Harry said, “Sit down here and have some breakfast, Kid. We thought we +wouldn’t bother you to get up when we stopped in Cleveland. What time +have you got?” + +Pee-wee hauled out his old boy scout turnip and said, “It’s half past +nine.” + +Harry said, “Oh, not quite as bad as that; boy scouts don’t sleep till +half past nine. It’s just—let’s see—it’s just about half past eight.” +Then he showed his watch to Pee-wee, kind of careless like. + +By that time we were all crowding around waiting to see the fun and the +passengers were all looking around and kind of smiling. + +Harry said, “Sit down and eat your breakfast, Kid, and don’t let that +old piece of junk fool you. What time have you got, Roy?” + +I could hardly keep a straight face, but I said, “About half past +eight.” + +“You see, it’s just as I told you, Kid,” Harry said. “As soon as you go +to sleep those boy scout watches take advantage of you. I wouldn’t trust +one of them any more than I’d trust a pickpocket. How about that, +Brent?” + +“Oh, I’ve met some pretty honest pickpockets,” Brent said. “Of course, +some of them are dishonest. But it’s the same as it is in every other +business; some are honest and some are not. I’ve seen some good, honest, +hard working pickpockets. What time is it, Tom Slade?” + +Gee whiz, I was afraid when Tom took out his watch, because he usually +stands up for Pee-wee, and I was afraid he’d let him know. But he just +looked at his watch, very sober, and said, “Pretty nearly twenty minutes +of nine.” + +“You all make me sick!” Pee-wee yelled. “You think you’re smart, don’t +you? You all got together and changed your watches.” + +“This is the same watch I always carried,” Brent said. + +“I mean you all changed the time,” Pee-wee shouted; “you think you can +put one over on me, don’t you?” + +“That watch would be all right for a paperweight, Kid,” Rossie said, “or +for an anchor when you go fishing.” + +“It’s all right to keep time, too,” the kid shouted. + +“It doesn’t _keep_ it, it lets it out,” Harry said; “did you have the +cover closed? A whole hour has sneaked away on you.” + +“Maybe it leaks a little,” Brent said. + +“There may be a short circuit in the minute hand,” Harry said. + +“That watch is right!” the kid shouted. “That’s a boy scout watch and +it’s guaranteed for a year.” + +“Well, it’s an hour ahead of the game,” Harry said. “You ask any one of +these gentlemen the correct time.” + +Oh, boy, I had to laugh. Pee-wee went through the aisle holding his +precious old boy scout watch in his hand, asking the different +passengers what time it was. Every single one of them took out his watch +and showed the kid how he was an hour wrong. All of a sudden, in came +the conductor and Harry winked at him and said, “What’s the correct +time, Cap?” + +“Eight thirty-eight,” the conductor said. + +Harry said, “There you are, Kiddo; what have you got to say now?” + +Gee whiz, the kid didn’t have _anything_ to say. He just stood there +gaping at his watch and then staring around and the passengers could +hardly keep straight faces. + +The conductor caught on to the joke and he winked at Harry and said, +“Those toy watches aren’t expected to keep time.” + +Harry said, “Oh, no, but he’ll have a real watch when he grows up. He’s +young yet. He can take this one apart and have a lot of fun with the +works.” + +“Somebody set this watch ahead—some of you fellows did!” Pee-wee +shouted. “It was right last night. It keeps good time. Somebody played a +trick on me! This is a what-do-you-call-it—a conspiracy. You’re all in +it.” + +Just then we passed a station and there was a clock in a steeple. Harry +said, “You don’t claim that clock in the church steeple is in the +conspiracy, do you? Look at it. _Now_ what have you got to say?” + +Then the conductor put his arm over Pee-wee’s shoulder and he said, +“Didn’t you ever hear of western time, son? The next time you’re +traveling west you just drop an hour at Cleveland station and you’ll +find it waiting there for you when you come back.” + +“Sure,” I told him; “did you notice that big box on the platform? That’s +where they keep them. It’s all full of hours.” + +The kid just stood there, staring. I guess he didn’t know _what_ to +believe. + +“Set your watch back an hour and don’t let them fool you,” the conductor +said, and then he began laughing. + +“And remember that western time is different from eastern time,” Rossie +said. + +“Oh, sure, everything is different out west,” Harry put in. “I like the +western time better.” + +“Eastern time is good enough for me,” Brent said; “I always preferred +it.” + +“And if you should ever happen to be crossing the Pacific Ocean on any +of your wild adventures, Kid,” Harry said, “don’t forget to set your +watch back one day when you cross the equator.” + +“If it’s one day I wouldn’t have to set it back at all,” Pee-wee said. +“Three o’clock to-day is the same as three o’clock yesterday.” + +“It would be better to set it back and be sure,” Harry said. + +“Oh, yes, safety first,” Brent said; “there might be a slight +difference. One three o’clock might look like another, but there’s a +difference.” + +“How do you know when you cross the equator?” I asked Harry. + +He said, “You can tell by the bump. Sometimes the ship just glides over +it easily and you can’t tell at all unless you look.” + +“It’s best to shift gears going over the equator,” Brent said; “go into +second and stay in second till you get up the hill.” + +“What hill?” Pee-wee wanted to know. “You make me sick; there aren’t any +hills on the ocean.” + +“That’s where you’re wrong,” Rossie Brent said. “If you go to Coney +Island and watch a ship coming toward you from way out on the ocean, you +see the top of the masts first, don’t you? Then after a while you see +the whole ship. That’s because it’s coming up hill. See?” + +“You should worry about hills, Kid,” I said; “go ahead and eat your +breakfast.” + + + + + V—THE CARAVAN + + +I guess by now you must think we’re all crazy; I should worry. I just +thought I’d tell you that about Pee-wee’s watch because, gee, it had us +all laughing. So already you’ve lost an hour reading this story; don’t +you care. + +Now we didn’t have any more adventures on that trip. We didn’t do much +except eat and, gee whiz, you wouldn’t call that having adventures. Late +that night we got to Klucksville and we stayed at the hotel till +morning. They have dandy wheat cakes at that hotel. And syrup, _mm_, +_mm_! Then we went to the auto works and the four cars were all ready +for us, because Mr. Junkum had sent a telegram to say we were coming. + +Oh, boy, you should have seen that big van, a regular gypsy wagon. On +the outside was painted, + + JOLLY & KIDDER + THE MAMMOTH STORE + EVERYTHING FOR THE HOME + +It was all enclosed and there was an electric light inside and steps to +go up to it and everything. There were kind of lockers inside too; I +guess they were for small bundles, hey? The kind that mothers buy and +then send back again, because they don’t fit. + +Gee whiz, there wasn’t much to see in Klucksville. We could have brought +the whole town home with us in the van if we had wanted to,—all except +the auto works. We didn’t waste much time there because Harry wanted to +get an early start and go as far as we could the first day. But anyway, +we stopped long enough in the village to have a man print a big sign on +canvas that we tacked on the van. It said, + + MISSOURI TO NEW YORK + SHOULD WORRY ABOUT RAILROADS + BOY SCOUTS ON THE JOB! + WE WORK WHILE OTHERS LOAF + BE PREPARED + +Besides that we bought three straw mattresses and an oil stove and some +canned stuff. We didn’t need to buy much except food, because we had a +lot of camping stuff along. We got cans of beans and soup and tuna fish +and some egg powder and Indian meal, because I can make lots of things +with that. Gee whiz, I can’t tell you all the stuff we bought, but if +you watch us you’ll see us eating it. Believe me, we ate everything +except the straw mattresses. Harry said the Kluck was a pretty good car +for eating up the miles, but believe me, it hasn’t got anything on us +when it comes to eating. + +Now this is the way we started. First was a touring car with Tom Slade +driving it. He’s awful sober, kind of. But you can have a lot of fun +with him. He has no use for candy, but he’s got a lot of sense about +other things. I can always make him laugh—leave it to me. Next came +another touring car with Rossie Bent driving it. He had a pasteboard +sign on his and it said, + + WE’RE FROM MISSOURI, + WE’LL SHOW YOU + +Next came Brent Gaylong in the other touring car and he had a pasteboard +sign that said, + + YOU’RE IN LUCK + IF YOU GET A KLUCK + ----- + FROM THE WOOLLY WEST + ----- + BOUND FOR LITTLE OLD NEW YORK; + +After that came the big van with Harry driving it. + +Now we fellows were supposed to live in the van, but we didn’t do much +except sleep in it. Most of the time we were riding in the different +cars. A lot of the time I sat with Tom Slade. Mostly the Warner twins +rode in the car with Rossie Bent. Charlie Seabury and Westy were in +Brent Gaylong’s car a lot of the time. Will Dawson got sleepy a lot so +he was in the van mostly. Pee-wee rode in all the different cars at +once, but most of the time in the van, on account of that being the +commissary department. Wherever you see a commissary department, look +for Pee-wee. Commissary is his middle name. Sometimes he was up on top +of the van dancing around. He’s awful light on his feet. He came near +lighting on his head a couple of times. + +So now I’m going to tell you about that trip. + + + + + VI—STRANDED + + +I guess you’ll say this story is a lot of nonsense, but anyway, those +big fellows were worse than the rest of us. Harry said it didn’t make +any difference if we were foolish, because even a dollar hasn’t as much +cents as it used to have—that’s a joke. Anyway Harry had plenty of +dollars that Mr. Junkum gave him for expenses. He told us the people who +were buying the cars paid part of the money. And anyway, my patrol saved +them some money on account of knowing all about camping and cooking and +all that. Harry said it was more fun than if we stayed at hotels all the +time. Gee whiz, I hate hotels—hotels and spinach. But once I went to a +peach of a fire when a hotel burned down. That’s one good thing about +hotels, anyway. + +Now about noontime that day the road crossed the railroad station at a +place called Squash Centre. It crosses it there every day, I guess, +Sundays and holidays and all. Anyway, it crossed it there that day. +Pee-wee was sitting on the seat beside Harry and he shouted, “Squash +Centre; I like pumpkin better.” As soon as he saw the word squash right +away he thought about pie. + +There were only about six houses there and the railroad station. On the +platform were a lot of funny looking people and they had a couple of big +dogs tied by ropes. They had a lot of boxes and bags and things standing +around them on the platform. Most of the squashes of Squash Centre were +standing around a little way off laughing at them. The man that was +holding the dogs had on a long black coat and a high hat and he needed +to be shaved. His coat didn’t have any cloth on the buttons. He had long +hair sticking out from under his hat. + +Harry said, “Well, well, we sure are out west. Here’s poor old Uncle +Tom’s Cabin, bag and baggage.” Then he called down to the man with the +black coat and said, “How about you, old top? Stranded?” + +Then all the squashes of Squash Centre set up a howl. + +The man said, very dignified like, “Thank you, for your inquiry, young +sir, and might I ask if you came through Jones’ Junction? Are there any +trains running?” + +By that time our whole caravan had stopped and all the squashes got +around and began staring at us. + +Harry said, “I don’t believe there are any trains except eastern trains. +I don’t believe there’s anything that stops this side of Indianapolis. +How far are you going? What’s the matter, didn’t you hit it right among +the squashes?” + +The man said, “The squashes are without art or patriotism. I thank you +for your information, sir. We are both stalled and stranded. We have +neither a train to travel on nor money to travel on it if we had. Our +friends have not welcomed us as we hoped they would. We have a promising +engagement at Grumpy’s Cross-roads some hundred miles distant, where we +are under contract with Major Hezekiah Grumpy to give six performances +at the Grand Army reunion there. Major Grumpy, sir, fought bravely to +stamp out the evil which our play depicts with such pathos.” That was +just the way he talked. + +Harry said, “So they are having a reunion at Grumpy’s Cross-roads, are +they?” + +“A very magnificent affair, sir,” that’s just what the man said, “and +the major has contracted with us for the presentation of our heart +stirring drama with the view of having the dramatic part of the +celebration appropriate.” + +Geewhiz, it was awful funny to hear him talk. + + + + + VII—A GOOD TURN + + +That man’s name was Archibald Abbington, and he talked dandy, just as if +he had learned it out of a book. One of those other people told us that +his right name was Henry Flynn. I felt sorry for them, that’s one sure +thing. And, oh, boy, but those were two peachy dogs they had. The thing +those dogs did mostly was to chase Eliza. Miss Le Farge, she was the one +that played Eliza. They never let anybody feed the dogs except her, so +they’d be sure to chase her. + +Harry said, “Why don’t you let them chase some of these squashes away? +They stand around gaping just as if they never saw a human being before. +How far is Grumpy’s Cross-roads anyway?” + +Mr. Abbington said, “It’s a matter of a hundred miles or thereabout.” +Gee, he was crazy about that word _thereabout_. Then he said that they +had a contract with Major Grumpy to give their first performance the +next afternoon at the Grand Army reunion, but he didn’t know what they +would do because they were stranded. + +Harry was awful nice to him. He said, “Well, it looks as if you were in +a kind of a tight place, Archy, and I wish we could help you out. We’re +reproducing the good old times, too, as you might say, with our overland +caravan. These are boy scouts who are taking care of our commissary +department and this is their gallant leader, Roy Blakeley. How about it, +Roy? Do you think we could squeeze in a good turn, just to vary the +monotony? You’re the boss of that end of the outfit. It would mean +driving all night instead of stopping to camp as we meant to do. Let’s +look on the map and see where Grumpy’s Cross-roads is, anyway.” + +I said, “The more the merrier; I don’t care where it is or how long it +takes us to get there. We’ll take you. That’s our middle name, doing +good turns.” + +“We give shows ourselves sometimes,” Pee-wee said. “We have a movie +apparatus and we give movie shows. But one thing, we’ve never been +stranded.” + +Brent said in that funny way of his, “But we hope to be, sometime; we +can’t expect to have everything at once.” + +Mr. Abbington said, awful dignified like, “We have been stranded many +times, sir. I can assure you it is not pleasant, especially when one of +our company is ill.” + +Gee whiz, I could see plain enough that one of them wasn’t feeling good; +that was the one they called Miss De Voil—she played Topsy. Maybe the +squashes disagreed with her, hey? + +Harry said, “Well, it’s up to you kids, Roy. Grumpy’s Cross-roads is +east, so it isn’t exactly out of our way, only we’ll have to hit into a +pretty punk road and there’ll be no sleeping around the camp-fire +to-night. What do you say?” + +Mr. Abbington and all the rest of those people looked at us kids awful +anxious, sort of. Gee, it made me feel sorry for them. All of a sudden +Pee-wee piped up. He said, “Camp-fires aren’t the principal things in +scouting; good turns come first. Anyway, once I heard that actors always +help each other and maybe, kind of, you might say we’re actors, because +sometimes we give shows.” + +Mr. Abbington said, “I am delighted to hear that, my young friend. Let +me ask you what you have played.” + +“He plays the harmonica when nobody stops him,” Westy said. + +I said, “Oh, sure, he’s a peachy actor; he plays dominoes and tennis and +tiddle-de-winks. The most stirring part he ever plays is when he stirs +his coffee.” + +Miss Le Farge said to another one of those ladies, “Oh, isn’t he just +too cute?” + +So then we helped them get all their stuff into the van. They had a tent +and a lot of other things. Harry whispered to me that he guessed they +hadn’t had any supper and he said he was afraid if we didn’t give them +something to eat the man that played the slave driver wouldn’t have +strength enough to whip Uncle Tom the next afternoon. Brent said maybe +even Uncle Tom wouldn’t have strength enough to stand up and be whipped. +He said, “We’d better feed them up.” + +So we made a fire in the grove right alongside the road so as not to +interfere with Miss De Voil, who was lying on one of the mattresses in +the van. We told the ladies that they could have the van all to +themselves that night so they could get good and rested. I fried some +bacon for them and heated some beans and we got water out of the +railroad station. + +Gee whiz, the water was the only thing about that railroad that was +running. + + + + + VIII—GRUMPY + + +We ran the cars all that night so as to get those people to Grumpy’s +Cross-roads in the morning. The ladies slept in the van, all except one; +she was the one that played Aunt Ophelia. In the play she had to be +strict, like a school teacher kind of, with Topsy. But when she wasn’t +in the play she was awful nice. She sat up all night in Rossie Bent’s +car, because she said she liked the fresh air. Mr. Abbington and Harry +sat together outside the van. I didn’t get sleepy much. The rest of the +fellows sprawled in Tom Slade’s car and Brent Gaylong’s car, and were +dead to the world. It was nice traveling in the night only we had to go +slow. We went across a kind of a prairie and every once in a while we +came to farms. It was dandy to see the sun come up in the morning. + +About five o’clock we came to a village and we asked a man how far it +was to Grumpy’s Crossroads. He must have got up before breakfast, that +man. He said it was about thirty-five miles, but that we’d have to go +very slow on account of the road being all stones. We had to drive those +cars easy, because they were supposed to be delivered new. + +The man said, “If you’re bound east why didn’t you hit the south road +and cut out Grumpy’s Crossroads altogether?” + +Harry said, “Because these people have to appear at the Grand Army +reunion at Grumpy’s Cross-roads this afternoon and we’ve got to get them +there.” + +The man said, “If that’s all you’re going to the Cross-roads for, you +might as well take the south road. Bill Thorpe, he was t’the Cross-roads +yesterday en’ he said th’ Uncle Tom’s Cabin show was called off on +’count of thar bein’ no trains runnin’. He said ole Major Grumpy was +tearin’ ’is hair like a wild Injun at th’ railroad unions.” + +Harry said, “Is that so? Well, I hope he won’t have his hair all pulled +out by 2 P. M. Do you suppose old Grump ever heard of the Boy Scouts of +America?” + +“I’ll tell him all about them!” Pee-wee shouted. “You just leave it to +me.” + +The man was smoking a pipe and it kind of smelled like a forest fire. It +smelled like a forest fire and a gas engine put together, kind of. He +laid his pipe down on the step of the van so we’d know that what he was +going to say was very serious. + +He said, “You take my advice en’ daon’t mention no scaout boys t’the +major; it’s like wavin’ a red flag before a bull as yer might say.” + +“Doesn’t like ’em, hey?” Harry said. + +“Hates ’em,” the man said. + +“Eats ’em alive, I suppose,” Brent said. + +“He’d eat ’em raw, only he ain’t got teeth enough,” the man said. + +Brent said in that funny way he has, “Well, I guess that settles it, +we’ll hit the trail for the Cross-roads; I kind of like old Grump +already. I have a kind of a hunch he’ll put some pep into this +Lewis & Clarke expedition. All we needed to make our joy complete was +somebody to try to foil us.” + +“Cracky, I hope he tries to foil us,” Pee-wee piped up. + +“Is he a villain?” Brent wanted to know. + +“Wall, he ain’t just exactly what you might call a villain,” the man +said, very serious. + +Brent said, “Oh, that’s too bad. We haven’t got a villain for our story +yet. I suppose we’ll have to advertise when we hit into Indianapolis. +‘Wanted, willing and industrious villain; one with some experience +preferred; good chance for advancement; duties, being foiled by the Boy +Scouts of America.’” + +The man said, “Guess you’re a kind of a comic, hey?” + +“What’s the trouble between old Grump and the kids, anyway?” Harry asked +him. + +The man said, “Wall, naow, I’ll tell you. Th’ major’s an old Civil War +man en’ he’s a great stickler on military training for boys; ain’t got +no use for studyin’ natur’ en’ all that kind o’ thing. He’s daft abaout +the Civil War, en’ he’s jest abaout th’ biggest old grouch this side o’ +th’ Missippi River. This here reunion o’ his, every three years, is the +pet uv his heart, as th’ feller says. He has th’ poor ole veterans +limpin’ in from miles araound fillin’ ’em up with rations en’ givin’ ’em +shows. He’s got money enough so’s ter make the United States Treasury +look like a poor relation; and _stingy_!” + +“That sounds fine,” Brent said; “we’ll have him eating out of our hands; +we’ll have him so he comes when we call him. First I was in hopes we +might fall in with some train robbers——” + +“Gee, it isn’t too late yet!” Pee-wee shouted. + +“But a ferocious old major is good enough,” Brent said; “we can’t expect +to have everything. You’re positive about his hating the Boy Scouts, are +you?” he asked the man. “Because we shouldn’t want to count on that and +then be disappointed. It’s pretty hard when you think you’ve found a +regular scoundrel and then find that you’re deceived. Are you willing to +guarantee him?” + +“Wall, I wouldn’ say exactly as he’s a _villain_,” the man said; “but +he’s a ole wild beast, so everybuddy says, en’ I’m tellin’ yer not to +wave no red flag in front uv him with a lot uv this scaout boy nonsense. +’Cause he ain’t in the humor, see?” + +Harry said, “Do you know, Brent, I think the old codger will do first +rate.” + +“Oh, he’ll do,” Brent said; “of course, it isn’t like finding a pirate, +or a counterfeiter, or an outlaw——” + +“You make me tired!” Pee-wee yelled. “If Roy’s going to write all this +stuff up, we have to have an old grouch, so as we can convert him sort +of, don’t we, and then he’ll—then he’ll—what-d’ye-call-it—he’ll +donate a lot of money and say the boy scouts are all right. I’ll manage +him, you leave him to me.” + +Brent said, “You don’t happen to know if he has a gold-haired daughter, +do you?” + +Gee whiz, I guess that man thought we were crazy—I should worry. Even +the Uncle Tom’s Cabin people were laughing. + +Brent said, “Because if our young hero could only rescue old Grump’s +gold-haired daughter from kidnappers, perhaps old Grump would come +across with a real watch that keeps time as a reward for our young +hero’s bravery. I think we’ll have to try our hand with old Grump.” + +“Are you—are you _sure_ he’s mad at the scouts?” Pee-wee wanted to +know. + +“Tell us the worst,” Harry said. + +[Illustration: THE BLOODHOUND BEGAN SNIFFING THE FOOTPRINT.] + + + + + CHAPTER IX—MILITARY PLANS + + +The man put one foot up on the step of the van and said, “Wall, yer see +he owns the Fair Grounds. Thar was a crew uv these here scout kids +camping over in the grove to one side of it, and not doin’ no manner of +harm, I reckon.” + +“That’s one good thing about us, we never do any harm,” Pee-wee piped +up. + +“Wherever they camp the violets spring up,” Rossie said. + +“Sure, and dandelions and four-leaf clovers, too,” the kid shouted. + +The man said, “Wall, naow, them kids wasn’ doin’ no manner uv harm, just +cookin’ and eatin’——” + +“Gee whiz, they have to do that!” Pee-wee told him. “That’s one thing +about scouts, they always eat.” + +“Most always,” Harry said. + +“En’ nothin’ would do but he must chase ’em off,” the man said. “Some uv +them men who wuz interested in the kids made a rumpus about it, but it +weren’t no good; old Grump said off they must go, and off they went. I +wuz sorry ter see it too, hanged if I weren’t, because they’re a bright, +clever lot, them youngsters. Oft times when I’d go inter th’ Cross-roads +with my old mare marketin’, there they’d be in th’ grove right alongside +th’ road, sprawlin’ about and onct, when I come away abaout five o’clock +in the mornin’, thar they were en’ give my old mare a drink out uv th’ +spring.” + +“Up early, hey?” Harry said. + +“Naow, haow is them kids goin’ ter hinder th’ reunion? That’s what I +say. Poked away off in th’ grove right on ter th’ end of the grounds. +But the ole major, he says they was nuthin’ but a lot uv loafers; wanted +to know what good they ever done. Why, Lor’ bless me, if he’d a made +friends with ’em they might uv helped in the reunion, mightn’t they?... +Wall, I guess he wuz all piffed abaout the show not bein’ able to get +there. Trams east of th’ Cross-roads is runnin’ all right, but out this +way thar ain’t been a wheel movin’ in a week, ’cept express trains from +the east. If I was you fellers I wouldn’ go a couple of dozen miles out +of my way over a pile of rocks what they call by the name of a road, I +wouldn’, jus ter do a favor for an old grizzly bear, I wouldn’. Not me.” + +Gee whiz, Mr. Abbington looked kind of anxious, because Harry just sat +there on the seat whistling to himself as if he were thinking. The rest +of us were all standing around. + +Brent said, “Well, as long as old Grump is a stickler on military +training, what do you say we take Grumpy’s Cross-roads right under his +very nose? We’ll make our approach from the west, with our dry-goods +delivery van and three five-passenger touring cars. General Harris will +have charge of the Commissary. First, the signal corps will communicate +with the boy scouts of Grumpy’s Cross-roads and advise them that +reenforcements are on the way—in a dry-goods van and three touring +cars. The grove on the edge of the parade grounds will be in our hands +before night. We’ll have the Civil War veterans down on their knees +begging for an armistice.” + +“Yes, and maybe—maybe—old Major Grumpy will have to go and live in a +castle in Holland, hey?” Pee-wee yelled. + +Honest, isn’t that kid a scream? + + + + + X—THE SIGNAL CORPS AT WORK + + +First, Harry asked if the telegraph office was open, but it wasn’t open. +The reason was, because there wasn’t any there. If that place had been a +little smaller we might have run over it without seeing it and punctured +one of our tires. + +Then Brent said, “Well then, you don’t happen to have a nice hill handy, +do you? We’ll return it in good condition when we get through with it.” + +They didn’t happen to have any hills in that village—they were out of +most everything. Brent said he guessed hills were hard to get. So we +started off again and hit into the road that went to Grumpy’s +Cross-roads. Gee whiz, if Major Grumpy’s temper was anything like that +road, _good night_! That was what we all said. But we should worry about +the road as long as we had all our plans made. Harry said the Kluck car +could eat up the miles all right, but, oh, Sister Anne, if one of them +tried eating the miles on that road it would have indigestion, all +right. Even Pee-wee couldn’t have eaten those. + +After we had gone maybe about nine or ten miles we came to a dandy; it +was a kind of a young mountain. Now, on the way along, we had been +making up a message that we would send by smudge signal, because we +thought that if those other scouts got it, it would be a feather in +their cap and we were thinking about them more than we were about +ourselves. Because a scout is brother to every other scout, see? + +So this is the smudge signal that we decided to send, and, _good night_, +little we knew what it would lead to. Pretty soon you’ll see the plot +beginning to get thicker. + + Uncle Tom show will be given as announced. + Deny rumors to contrary. + + Boy Scouts of America. + +Brent said, “If those kids are up as early as old what’s-his-name said +they were, they ought to see a smudge signal up on the top of a hill +like this, and they can notify old Grump. Then later we’ll give him the +knockout blow. He’ll look like a pancake when we get through with him.” + +That started Pee-wee off—the word pancake. “We’ll go riding into the +village, and we’ll kind of have our clothes torn, and we’ll look all +what-d’ye-call-it—weary and footsore—and we’ll have all the Uncle +Tom’s Cabin company sitting in the touring cars,” he said, “and we’ll +have a big sign that says _Boy Scouts on the Job_, hey? And maybe we’ll +give a parade.” + +Harry said, “Well, the best thing for us to do now is to parade up this +hill and send the message. You see, although assaults are usually made +unknown to the enemy, in this case we’ll make a big hit if we start some +propaganda along ahead of us. It pays to advertise, as Jolly & Kidder +would say.” + +Now it was a pretty steep climb up to the top of that hill, all woods +and jungle. We left the cars down on the road and most of the actor +people stayed in them, because they were tired and sleepy. Westy stayed +down there so as to cook them some breakfast. + +For quite a long distance up that hill we went through thick woods, then +we came out into an open place where we could look down and see the +road. The autos looked small down there. We could see a little thin line +of smoke going up where Westy was starting a fire. The sun was getting +brighter and it made Jolly & Kidder’s van look all shiny on account of +the bright paint on it. It seemed funny to see a department store car +away out there in that lonesome country. + +Pretty soon we got into more woods and Harry said he guessed there must +be a trail. But we couldn’t find any. + +He said, “This is a forsaken wilderness up here.” + +“I bet the foot of white man never trod it,” Pee-wee said; “I bet it’s +unknown to civilization up here.” + +“Well, I guess we’re not likely to bunk into any movie shows,” Brent +said. + +Jiminetty, but it was some wild place, all right. We had to go single +file and tear away the brush so that we could get through. Tom Slade +went ahead, because he can find a trail if there is one, and even if +there isn’t he always knows how to go. The farther up we went, the worse +it got. We couldn’t see the road at all on account of the thick woods +below us. Gee, it was so still up there that it was sort of spooky. + +“I guess no white man ever trod this solemn wilderness before, as our +young friend Scout Harris observed,” Harry said; “it gets worser and +worser.” + +Just then Tom Slade stopped and we all stopped in his path. In about a +jiffy he was down on the ground. Gee whiz, I knew what that meant, for I +knew Tom Slade. + +“It’s a footprint,” he said. + +Just then we heard a sound right near us, just like branches crackling, +and in a couple of seconds one of those bloodhounds from the Uncle Tom’s +Cabin show came dashing up through the bushes. He pushed Tom Slade right +out of the way and began sniffing that footprint. He was so excited that +he didn’t notice us. + + + + + XI—A MYSTERIOUS FOOTPRINT + + +First it seemed kind of as if that bloodhound was just scooping; that +means using something that another scout has found. If I should find a +robin’s nest and then another scout should stalk there, that would be +scooping. Gee whiz, that’s a mean thing to do. Up at Temple Camp a scout +will get himself disliked for doing that. But it’s all right to stalk +the cooking-shack. Pee-wee thinks he’s the only one who has a right to +hang out there—I should worry. + +Anyway that has nothing to do with the bloodhound. Tom got out of his +way, and we all stood about while the dog sniffed around the footprint, +awful excited like. There wasn’t another footprint anywhere in sight. + +Brent said in that funny way of his, “Well, I guess we’re up against the +real thing at last. I guess old Snoozer here is on the track of Eliza. +Listen and maybe we’ll hear her baby crying. She always carries a baby +with her when she puts one over on the bloodhounds, doesn’t she?” + +“You’re crazy!” Pee-wee shouted; “she always crosses the ice. Didn’t you +see that big roll of canvas they’ve got? That’s got ice painted on it. +They spread that on the stage and she runs across it with +har—what-d’ye-call-it—her infant child.” + +“Her which?” Harry said. + +“I think she takes a thermos bottle, too, and an aluminum cooking set,” +Brent said. + +Harry said, “Well, anyway, she has given old Snoozer the slip this +time.” + +“That’s a man’s footprint,” Pee-wee said; “there’s a mystery up here.” + +“Let’s see it,” Rossie Bent said; “where is it?” + +“You make me sick!” the kid shouted. “How can you _see_ a mystery?” + +“You smell it, according to Snoozer,” Harry said; “this dog will have a +fit in a minute.” + +By that time the dog was pushing every which way in among the bushes and +every few seconds coming back to the footprint. + +“He seems to be kind of rattled.” That’s what Harry said. + +Pretty soon the dog went running through the bushes out into a big open +space that was just about on the top of the mountain. We found out +afterward that that was why the mountain was named Bald Head. Gee whiz, +he seemed rattled. He’d stop for a couple of seconds and look all +around, then start off all of a sudden, then stop again. + +Brent said, “Eliza’s got his goat this time. Look at old Tomasso there; +he’s mad because Snoozer took his job.” + +I looked at Tom Slade (because that’s whom he meant) and I saw that he +was kind of picking among the bushes over to one side of the big open +space. So I went over to where he was and I said, “Tom, what do you +think about it? I always thought a bloodhound could follow any trail. +That’s a fresh footprint too, isn’t it? But maybe that dog isn’t a real +bloodhound, hey?” + +Tom said, “He’s a real bloodhound, all right, but I don’t think he’ll +find anything.” + +I said, “Well, how about that footprint then? It was a fresh one. He +ought to be able to follow that scent. Gee whiz, I never saw a dog act +so funny. He’s all rattled and he doesn’t know which way to go.” + +Tom didn’t say anything, only he looked over to the open space where the +rest of the fellows were watching the dog. By that time the dog was +running around and barking, half crazy. + +“Eliza fell through the ice,” Brent called over to us. + +Harry shouted, “She was very poor, she didn’t even have a scent. +Snoozer’s going to have a nervous collapse in a minute; he’ll require +first aid.” + +I said to Tom, “Well, somebody was up here, that’s sure. That’s a new +footprint we found. It’s plaguey funny that a bloodhound can’t follow +that trail; I always thought a bloodhound——” + +“A bloodhound isn’t a scout,” Tom said, kind of sober like, in that way +he has; “he followed the trail as far as he could, I suppose. Look +around here; don’t you see anything?” + +That’s the way it has always been with Tom Slade ever since he got back +from the war. In scouting, he would never do anything himself, but just +give us fellows a hint that would start us off. “If you make as good use +of your eyes as he makes of his nose, you ought to be able to discover +something.” That’s what he said. + +So then I looked all around, and sure enough I could see that the bushes +were broken up toward the top and, _good night_, on one of them was +hanging a little piece of rag. + +“Some one has been through here,” I said, all excited; “why doesn’t the +dog come over here? The trail leads over this way.” + +Then I began whistling for the dog and calling to the fellows that we +had the trail, and they all started over except the dog. He wouldn’t +follow them or pay any attention to their whistling and calling, only +stayed right where he was running around as if he had a fit. + +Before the fellows reached the place where we were Tom said kind of low, +“Don’t fly off the handle, kid; there are some bushes broken here and a +rag. Now what does that mean?” + +“It means the trail runs through here,” I said; “and that crazy fool of +an Uncle Tom’s Cabin dog can’t follow the scent across that bare place. +He’s just an actor, that’s all that bloodhound is. All he’s good for is +chasing Eliza.” + +Tom just took the rag from me and looked at it. “Well then, if the trail +runs through here, where are the footprints?” he asked me. + +“And the dog doesn’t seem to think it’s worth bothering about,” he said. + +“You admit somebody went through here?” I shouted at him. + +“Oh, somebody went through here, all right,” he said. + +“And didn’t leave any footprints and didn’t leave any scent,” I came +back at him. + +“Only a rag,” he said. + +By that time the fellows had reached the place where we were. “What’s +the big idea?” Harry said. “What have you got there?” + +Brent said, “As I _live_, it’s a piece of Eliza’s dress. The plot grows +thicker.” + +“There isn’t a footprint here,” I told them. + +“She must have slid on the ice,” Brent said. + +“I’m going to drag that dog over here by the collar,” Rossie spoke up. + +“It’s a mystery,” Pee-wee shouted; “it’s a deep, dark mystery. We’ve got +to solve it—I mean penetrate it.” + +Gee whiz, that kid was more excited than the dog. + + + + + XII—A DISCOVERY + + +We all just stood there not knowing what to think. I could tell that Tom +Slade had some kind of an idea, but you never catch that fellow shouting +out about anything till he’s sure. Even when he was a tenderfoot in the +troop he was that way. + +It seemed mighty funny that we should find just one footprint in those +bushes, but maybe there weren’t any more across that open space because +it was hard and rocky. Anyway, the scent led out into that open space, +that was sure. Then on the opposite side of the open space the bushes +were broken and there was a rag hanging to one of them. Yet we couldn’t +get that dog to go all the way across and take up the scent where we +found the rag. That was the funny thing. It was funny that there weren’t +any footprints under those bushes where the rag was hanging, too. +Believe _me_, Pee-wee was right, it was a mystery. + +Pretty soon the dog began following the scent back and Will Dawson went +after him. In about ten minutes he came up again and said that the dog +had followed it as far as a brook where there was a willow tree. He said +the dog got rattled there just the same as he did on the summit. So he +studied the place carefully and saw that there was a branch of the tree +that stuck out over the water and he swung himself across and then back +again by that. So he decided that was probably what the man had done on +his way up the mountain. So you see that trail was cut in two places. + +Will said that he left the dog poking around at the edge of the stream. +And that was the last we saw of the dog till we got back to our caravan. +Then we saw that he was under the van asleep. He was resting up so he +could chase Eliza in the afternoon, that’s what Brent said. He chased +Eliza twice every day, that bloodhound did. + +Harry said, “Well, as Scout Harris says, it’s a mystery. Somebody was up +here before us, that’s sure. There’s no use trying to dope it out, I +suppose. Let’s send the signal. Our friends down below will think we’re +lost.” + +All the while Tom Slade was sort of wandering around that rocky open +space on the top of the mountain. A couple of times he looked over to +where we were as if he was kind of thinking. Most of the time he looked +at the ground and the flat rocks. I knew he had some idea in his head, +all right. + +Pretty soon he came strolling over and said sort of offhand like, “Let’s +follow these broken bushes in a ways.” + +“Nobody went through here, Tom,” Rossie said; “if they had there’d be +footprints. Let’s get busy with the smudge signal.” + +“It’ll only take a minute,” Tom said. + +“Every minute is precious, Tommy boy,” Harry told him. + +“Sure, let’s go in,” Brent said; “I’m for adventure every time. You +never can tell; come ahead.” + +So we all followed Tom in. The brush was awful thick and I kept tearing +it apart down near the ground, hunting for footprints, but I couldn’t +find a single one. The brush wasn’t even broken above, either, after we +had gone a few feet and Tom just pushed around without any signs to go +by, all the while squinting his eyes into the bushes and poking the +underbrush with his feet. + +Pretty soon, _good night_, Pee-wee gave a shout. “_I see it! I see it!_” +he yelled. “The mystery is solved! I know why there isn’t any man’s +footprint here. It was an _animal_ that came through! There he is +now—it’s a _zebra_!” + +“A which?” Harry said. + +“It’s got stripes—wide stripes,” the kid shouted. “Look there! See it? +It’s a zebra! Don’t you know a zebra?” + +Brent said, “I wouldn’t know one if I met him in the street.” + +By that time Tom had gone ahead of us and hauled something out of the +bushes. It wasn’t a zebra, but it had stripes all right—it was light +colored and it had wide, dark stripes. I bet you can’t guess what it +was, either. + +It was a suit of convicts’ clothes. + + + + + CHAPTER XIII—TOM SLADE, SCOUT + + +“Didn’t I tell you it had stripes?” Pee-wee shouted. “Wasn’t I right? +Now you see! A scout is observant.” + +“If he sees a suit of clothes he thinks it’s a zebra,” Charlie Seabury +said. + +Harry said, “Well, you weren’t so far wrong, Kiddo. The stripes weren’t +on an animal; they were on a jail bird. I’d like to know where he flew +away to. This is getting interesting. I knew that clothing was very +high, but I didn’t think we’d find a suit as far up as this.” + +“Maybe he was a murderer, hey?” Pee-wee whispered. + +“We can only hope,” Brent said in that funny way. Then he said, “I’ve +always felt that I’d like to be a murderer. I thought I was a real +convict when I was held in jail three hours after speeding in my +flivver. But when I look at this striped suit, I realize that after all +I didn’t amount to much as a criminal. Let’s take a squint at those +clothes, will you? It’s always been the dream of my young life to escape +from jail by using a hair-pin or a manicure file or some kind of acid. I +wonder how this fellow escaped.” + +“I bet he escaped in the dead of night,” Pee-wee said. + +“The question is, where is he?” Harry said. + +“He went away in an airplane,” Tom Slade said, awful sober like, just as +if Brent hadn’t been joking at all. + +_Good night_, we all just stood there stark still, looking at him. + +“What makes you think that?” Rossie wanted to know. + +“No one laid that suit of clothes here,” Tom said; “it was _dropped_ +here. There aren’t any footprints. Out there in the flat part there are +wheel marks from an airplane. I saw enough of those marks in France to +know what they mean.” + +“Tomasso Nobody Holmes, the boy detective!” I shouted. + +“The airplane grazed the bushes when it went up,” he said; “that’s why +some twigs are broken off. And part of one of the wings of the machine +was torn, too. That’s because the airman didn’t have space enough to get +away in. He took a big chance when he landed up here, that fellow.” + +Harry just stood there drumming his fingers on one of the bushes and +looking all around him and kind of thinking. Then he said, “What’s your +idea, Tommy boy? Do you think a convict escaped and made his way up to +the top of this jungle and that the airman alighted here for him by +appointment?” + +“The dog followed the scent out into the open, to the place where the +wheel tracks are,” Tom said. “That’s where the man—that convict—got +in. They didn’t have open space enough to start from there and they +grazed the bushes. I guess it was pretty risky, the whole business. +Anyway, they chucked the convict clothes out. This piece of silk is +waxed; it’s part of the wing of a machine, all right.” + +“Tomasso, you’re a wonder,” Rossie said; “no dog could follow a trail in +the air.” + +“There’s often a scent in the breeze,” Brent said. + +“Didn’t I tell you it was a mystery?” Pee-wee shouted. “Didn’t I tell +you it was a dark plot? As soon as I saw those clothes——” + +“You thought they were a zebra,” Ralph Warner said; “a scout knows all +the different kinds of animals.” + +“You make me sick!” the kid shouted. “A convict is better than a zebra, +isn’t he?” + +“That’s a fine argument,” I told him. + +“It’s logic,” the kid shouted. + +“Well, let’s not complain,” Brent said; “a zebra would be a novelty, but +a convict is not to be despised. We should be thankful for the convict, +even though he isn’t here.” + +“That’s the best part of it,” the kid shouted; “that makes the mystery. +We’ve got to find him.” + +We didn’t bother any more about the mystery then, because we wanted to +send the signal and get started again, but you’ll see how that mystery +popped up again and confounded us; I guess you know what _confounded_ +means, all right. It means the same as _baffled_, only I didn’t know +whether _baffled_ has two f’s in it or not. But, gee whiz, I used it +anyway—I should worry. + +So now while our friends are waiting for us down on the road (I got this +sentence from Pee-wee), I’ll tell you about sending that signal. Signals +are my middle name—signals and geography. But the thing I like best +about school is lunch hour. I’m crazy about boating, too. + + + + + XIV—PEE-WEE’S GOAT + + +That fellow, Harry Domicile, he’s crazy. He said, “If you like signals +so much I don’t see why you send them. Why don’t you keep them?” + +Will Dawson said, “It isn’t the signal we send, it’s a message; we send +a message by a signal. See?” + +Harry said, “But if it’s a good message why should you want to send it +away? Why don’t you keep it? If it’s worth anything what’s the use of +getting rid of it? A scout should not be wasteful.” Then he winked at +Brent Gaylong. + +Oh, boy, you should have seen Pee-wee. He shouted, “You’re crazy! +Suppose I keep some-thing—suppose I keep——” + +Rossie said, “Suppose you keep silence.” + +“That shows how much you know about logic!” the kid yelled. “How can I +keep silence——” + +By that time we were all laughing, except Harry. He had the paper with +the message written on it and he said, very sober like, “Well, if this +message is any good at all I don’t see why we don’t keep it; it might +come in useful.” + +Pee-wee shouted, “A message is no good at all—even the most important +message in the world is no good to the fellow that makes it——” + +Brent said, “Then he’s just wasting his time making it. Before we send +this message we’d better talk it over. If it’s any good we’ll keep it.” + +Gee whiz, you should have seen our young hero; I thought he’d jump off +the mountain. He yelled, “Do you know what logic is? You get that in the +third grade. My uncle knows a man that’s a lawyer and he +says—besides—anyway, do you mean to tell me——” + +Harry said, “Go on.” + +Brent said, “Proceed; we follow you.” + +“Suppose I had a piece of pie,” the kid yelled. “If it was good I’d eat +it, wouldn’t I?” + +Brent said, “That isn’t logic.” + +“Sure it’s logic!” Pee-wee shouted. “The better it is the more I’d get +rid of, wouldn’t I?” + +“Thou never spakest a truer word,” I told him. + +“And it’s the same with messages,” he said. + +I said, “_Good night_, you don’t want to eat it, do you?” + +Harry said, “Well, if he doesn’t want to eat it, what’s the use of +chewing it over? Let’s send it.” + +I bet you think we’re all crazy, hey? I should worry. + +So then we gathered a lot of twigs and started a fire about in the +middle of that open space. While we were doing that, Charlie Seabury and +Ralph Warner got some dead grass and brush and took it down to the brook +and got it good and wet. Then they squeezed the water all out of it so +it was kind of damp and muggy like. It has to be just like that if you +want to send a smudge message. Maybe you don’t know exactly what a +smudge signal is because maybe you think that a smudge is just a dirt +streak on your face—I don’t mean on yours but on Pee-wee’s. That’s +Pee-wee’s trade mark—a smudge on his face. Usually it’s the shape of a +comet and it makes you think of a comet, because he’s got six freckles +on his cheek that are like the big dipper. And his face is round like +the moon, too, but, gee williger, I hate astronomy. But I’d like to go +to Mars just the same. + +Anyway this is the way you send a smudge signal. When you get the fire +started good and strong you kind of shovel it into a tin can, but if you +haven’t got any tin can, you don’t. Scouts are supposed to be able to do +without things. We should worry about tin cans. Brent Gaylong has a tin +can on wheels—that’s a Ford. My father says it’s better to own a Ford +than a can’t afford. Anyway my sister says I ought to stick to my +subject. Gee whiz, she must think I’m a piece of fly paper. + + + + + CHAPTER XV—THE MESSAGE + + +The reason that I ended that chapter was because I had to go to supper. +So now I’ll tell you about the signal. If we had only had a tin can with +some kind of a cover to lay over it, it would have been easy. But we +hadn’t any so this is the way we did. After the fire was burning up we +piled some of the damp grass and stuff on top of it and that made a +smudge that went way up in the air. I guess any one could see that +smudge maybe fifty miles, especially on account of it being up on the +top of a mountain. + +I said, “All we need now is a cloth or something to spread over it so we +can divide the letters.” Because you know we use the Morse code. + +So Brent said we could have his mackinaw jacket and he sent Pee-wee down +to the brook to soak it in the water so that it wouldn’t catch fire. +That was the beginning of Brent Gaylong’s bad luck. Crinkums, that +fellow must have been born on a Friday—anyway, he was born on a Friday +that day, I guess. But one good thing about Friday, it’s the day before +Saturday. That’s why there are fifty-two Good Fridays. + +So then we sent the message. The first word was _Uncle_, so to spell +that we let the smudge rise for just a second, then laid Brent’s jacket +over it for about three seconds, then let it rise for another second, +then waited about three seconds more and then let it rise for, oh, I +guess about ten seconds, maybe. That made two dots and a dash in the +Morse code and it made the letter U good and big, cracky, bigger than +you could make it on any blackboard, as big as the whole sky. Maybe it +wouldn’t mean anything to you, but that’s because you’re not a scout. +But anyway it meant U. I don’t mean it meant you, but I mean it meant U. + +After that we made the other letters in the word Uncle—N-K-L-E—I don’t +mean K, I mean C. + +Then after we’d waited about a minute so as to separate the words we +spelled T-O-M, and after that there was a big blot on our writing +(that’s what Rossie said), because Brent’s mackinaw jacket burned up. He +said he was sorry, because there were some peanuts in one of the +pockets. + +Anyway he said he was willing to die for the cause, so he took off his +khaki shirt and after Pee-wee went down and soaked it in the brook, we +used that to separate the words and letters. Maybe you’ll say that kind +of writing isn’t very neat but we knew that it could be seen for miles +and miles and that if the boy scouts in Grumpy’s Cross-roads saw it and +read it, they’d tell Major Grumpy and he’d say the scouts were all +right. Because that was our idea, we wanted those other scouts to get +the credit. + +I guess maybe it took a half an hour to send that message and it didn’t +look much like a message to us. You’ve got to get away off if you want +to read a smudge signal. A smudge signal is no good for a fellow that’s +near-sighted. When we were all finished, this is what we had printed in +the sky: + + Uncle Tom show will be given as announced. + Deny rumors. + + Boy Scouts of America. + +Pee-wee wanted to put in something about foiling the railroad strikers, +but Brent said if we made the message any longer he wouldn’t have any +clothes left. Harry said that if the scouts at Grumpy’s Cross-roads got +that message and delivered it to old Grump, that old Grump would +surrender unconditionally. So maybe we had done a good turn for all we +knew. Even if the telegraph operator at Grumpy’s Cross-roads should see +that smudge he’d read the message, all right. But we said that more +likely he’d he asleep and that scouts are always up early because up at +Temple Camp Uncle Jeb Rushmore (he’s camp manager) is always telling us +that the early bird catches the first worm. But, gee whiz, if I were the +first worm I’d stay in bed and then the early bird wouldn’t catch me. + +That’s what Pee-wee calls logic. That’s one thing he’s crazy +about,—logic. Logic and Charlie Chaplin. He likes girls, too. He says +they always smile at him. Gee whiz, can you blame them? It’s a wonder +they don’t laugh out loud. + + + + + XVI—BRENT’S AMBITION + + +It was some job picking our way down that mountain. We could see the +road and the machines away down below us and the machines looked like +toy autos. Brent and Harry and Pee-wee and I were together and Brent +talked a lot of that nonsense like he always does. Pee-wee had the +convict’s suit rolled up tight and tied with a couple of thin willow +twigs. If you wet them they’re just as good as cord; you can even tie +them in a knot. He carried the bundle on the end of his scout staff and +he had his scout staff over his shoulder. He looked so important you’d +think he had just captured the convict, too. + +Brent said, “That’s what I call real adventure; escaping from a prison +and beating it off to some lonesome mountain and being taken away in an +airplane. That fellow has old Monte Cristo beaten twenty ways. Some +convicts are lucky. I’d like to be that chap.” That’s just the way he +talked. + +Harry said, “You might forge a couple of checks if you happen to think +of it sometime.” + +Brent said in that funny way of his, “If I could only be sure of +escaping and being carried off by an airplane. But it would be just my +luck to—to——” + +“Languish,” Pee-wee shouted; “that’s what they do in jails—languish.” + +“And just serve out my term studying logic,” Brent said. “But if I +thought there’d be a chance to escape, I think I’d—let’s see, I think +I’d—what do you think of counterfeiting, Harry?” + +“Burglary’s better,” Harry said. + +“It’s the dream of my life to be a convict,” Brent kept up. “These +little crimes don’t amount to anything; what I’d like to do is to hit +the high spots, get sent up for life, and then escape in a boat or an +airplane. Somebody could send me a file or a saw in a bunch of flowers. +What do you say? This convict is having the time of his life. That’s the +life—being a fugitive.” + +Harry said, “Well, I hope you get your wish.” + +Pee-wee said, “You’re crazy, that’s what I say.” + +I said, “Gee whiz, there’s fun enough making a cross country trip in +four autos and running into a stranded Uncle Tom’s Cabin Company with +bloodhounds and everything, without being sent to jail.” + +Brent said, “Well, I can’t help it; that’s the way I feel. I envy that +convict. I long to languish in a dungeon cell and file away the bars in +the dead of night and kill three keepers and escape in an airplane. +That’s living.” + +“Good night,” I said, “not for the three keepers.” + +Harry said, “Well, all things come round to him that waits. My ambition +is to be wrecked at sea. How about you, Roy?” + +I said, “My ambition is to foil old Major Grumpy and make him fall for +the scouts.” + +“No pep to it,” Brent said; “a dark and dismal dungeon with rats poking +around on the stone floor, that’s _my_ speed.” + +Cracky, that fellow’s awful funny. + +“You’d never get any dessert,” Pee-wee shouted. + +Brent said, “Who wants dessert when he can get a crust of bread and a +mug of water?” + +“I do,” the kid shouted. “I want two helpings.” + +That was _his_ ambition. + + + + + XVII—A SIDE SHOW + + +Pretty soon you’ll see why I named this chapter “A Side Show.” When we +got down to the road all those show people were sitting around on the +rocks talking and laughing and telling Westy lots of funny adventures +that they had had. Oh, boy, if I wasn’t a boy scout I’d like to be in an +Uncle Tom’s Cabin Company, that’s one sure thing. That’s _my_ ambition. +Jails and dungeons may be all right, I’m not saying, but anyway, I’d +like to be in a show—especially one that gets stranded. They said that +they could see the signal away up on the mountain, and the man that had +to beat Uncle Tom, he was an awful nice man, he said he could read most +all of it because he used to be a telegraph operator. But he said he +liked beating Uncle Tom better. Uncle Tom said he didn’t mind being +beaten once a day but he didn’t like matinees. + +Now I’m going to tell you about how we all got separated +together—that’s what Pee-wee said. When we were all ready to go, Harry +couldn’t start the engine of the van. He said, “Brent, I wish you’d take +a squint at this motor; it heats up and the water boils over.” + +Brent said, “I think the timer must have been set by Pee-wee’s watch.” +Pretty soon he said he guessed it was just a short circuit. + +“Anyway, that’s better than a long one,” Pee-wee shouted. + +Pretty soon Brent said he thought the coil was running the battery down. +Harry said he didn’t blame the coil. + +Then Brent said there was a leak of current somewhere, but that he +couldn’t trace it. I said, “Let one of Eliza’s bloodhounds try; maybe he +can trace it.” He said anyway the battery was discharging; believe me, +if I’d had my way I’d have discharged the whole engine. + +After a while Brent got it started but he said it wasn’t running right +and he guessed he’d have to get two new plugs. So then we looked at our +map to find out if there was a village anywhere near along that road +where there might be a garage. Because Brent said there ought to be more +grease in the differential, too. But mostly, he said, one of the plugs +wouldn’t fire the charge. + +Westy said, “If the plug won’t fire it, why don’t you get the battery to +discharge it?” + +Now when we looked at our map we found that about half a mile east of +that mountain a road branched off from the road we were on and went +through a place named Barrow’s Homestead. It didn’t bother to stop at +Barrow’s Homestead, that road didn’t, but it went on and formed a, you +know, a what-do-you-call-it, a _junction_, with the other road three or +four miles farther along. It was just a kind of a loop, that road was, +so as to take in Barrow’s Homestead. Only that road was pretty rough. + +Brent said, “I dare say we can find a young garage at that place; there +are bandits everywhere in the west. If you say so, I’ll drive along that +road and meet you where the roads join.” + +Harry said, “I guess that’s the best thing to do—for the rest of us to +keep to the smooth, short road with the touring cars. When we get to the +junction of the two roads we’ll wait for you there as long as we think +it’s safe to wait. If you don’t show up by ten o’clock, say, we’ll jog +along and meet you at the Veterans’ Reunion at Grumpy’s Cross-roads. We +don’t want to run any chance of not getting these people there on time. +Uncle Tom has got to be thrashed this afternoon at any cost.” Then he +asked Uncle Tom if he wanted a cigarette. That man was awful nice—the +man that played Uncle Tom. He said he had been thrashed twice a day for +three years, except on Sundays. Harry said it would be a good thing if +that happened to a lot of us fellows, especially me. Anyway I’d rather +be Eliza and be chased by ferocious bloodhounds. That’s what Mr. +Abbington called them—ferocious. + +Now as soon as it was decided that Brent Gaylong should drive the van +along that other road, up jumped our young hero and shouted, “I’ll go +with you; maybe they sell ice cream sodas at that place.” + +As soon as he mentioned ice cream sodas all the other fellows said +they’d go—except I didn’t. Because I’m not crazy about an ice cream +soda. I like three or four of them though. + +Harry said, “Well, it looks like a mutiny and I guess we’ll have to lock +every one of you in the van.” + +By that time, Pee-wee was up on the seat of the van and he shouted, “I +wouldn’t mute; I’m already here and I’m going to stay here!” + +Harry said, “Nobody would ever think of the word mute in connection with +you; stay where you are and we’ll be glad to get rid of you, and Roy +too, if he wants to go.” + +I said, “The pleasure is mine, I go where duty calls.” + +“You mean you go where ice cream sodas call,” the kid shouted at me. + +I said, “Well, for goodness’ sake, chuck that bundle inside the van and +give me a chance to sit down, will you?” Because even still he had that +convict’s suit close by him on the seat as if he was afraid somebody +would get it away from him. “What are you going to do with it?” I said. +“Hang it up in the parlor when you get home?” + +So then I climbed up and chucked the bundle into the van through the +little window right behind the seat. Brent sat down between Pee-wee and +me, and thus we started off. That’s a peach of a word—_thus_. For a +little way we could look across to the other road and see the three +touring cars filled with the Uncle Tom’s Cabin people and the other +fellows of my patrol. Mr. Abbington was sitting with Harry and he looked +awful funny with his high hat on. + +All of a sudden, _good night_, that bloodhound that had been up on the +mountain with us came tearing across from the other road. I guess he +wanted to go with us. He clambered almost up to the seat and began +sniffing around Brent. I bet he liked him on account of Brent’s being so +crazy about adventures, hey? + +Brent said, “You go back where you belong, old Snoozer. Who do you think +I am? Eliza?” + +Then Mr. Abbington began calling him and the dog didn’t seem to be able +to decide what to do. + +“I hear you calling me,” Brent said; “go on back, Snoozer; we’ll see you +later.” + +So then the dog went back but I guess he didn’t want to. Gee whiz, you +couldn’t blame him. Because one thing sure, if you stick to Brent +Gaylong you’re pretty sure to see some fun. Believe _me_, that fellow’s +middle name is adventure. Just you wait and see. + + + + + CHAPTER XVIII—A SHOWER BATH + + +Brent said, “I bet Brother Abbington will be pretty hot to-day with that +frock coat of his and that high hat.” + +I said, “It’s going to be a scorcher, all right.” + +“Lucky for me,” he said, “as long as my mackinaw and my khaki shirt have +gone in the good cause.” + +“You should worry,” I told him. + +“Only I don’t look very presentable,” he said. + +“Don’t you care,” I said; “we won’t meet anybody along this road.” + +“It’s the least of my troubles,” he said; “what I’m thinking about is +this pesky engine. It jumps like a bull-frog; I think it’s got the pip.” + +Pee-wee said, “Some engines have the sleeping sickness and they won’t go +at all.” + +Then we all got to saying how we hoped that Harry and Rossie and Tom +would get the three cars to Grumpy’s Cross-roads in time so those actor +people could give their show. + +“Even if we’re not with them,” I said. + +“I guess we’ll be able to make connections before they get there,” Brent +said. + +“Oh, boy, that’ll be some good turn,” Pee-wee said. “I bet old Grump +won’t be mad at the scouts any more; he’ll see that they’re dauntless +and—something or other.” + +“Oh, he’ll see that they’re something or other,” Brent said. “I never +knew a scout that wasn’t something or other.” + +“He’ll see that they do good turns,” the kid shouted. Gee whiz, good +turns are his favorite fruit—good turns and doughnuts. Even if he had a +turning lathe he couldn’t turn out any more good turns. + +Now maybe you know what a tornado is. Anyway, there wasn’t any that day. +So you don’t need to worry. But all of a sudden dark clouds came and +pretty soon the sky was all black and the wind was blowing like +anything. I guess it was a cyclone, all right, only it decided not to +come that way on account of the road being so bad. + +Anyway the wind kept up and blew right in our faces and after a while +Brent said, “Did you bring those old togs along, kid?” + +Pee-wee said, “You mean the convict suit? It’s in the van.” + +“Well, get me the coat and I’ll slip it on,” Brent told him. “We may not +be able to catch the convict, but I’m blamed sure I’ll catch cold.” + +So Pee-wee went around and into the van by the doors in back and got the +convict’s jacket. I guess none of us thought there was anything funny +about Brent wearing it for a little while. Only I said to him, just +joking like, “You wanted to be a convict, now you’ve got your wish.” + +“If my mother could only see me now,” he said. “Do I look like a zebra, +Pee-wee?” + +We had to laugh, he looked so funny in that striped jacket; but anyway +it was a pretty lonely road and we weren’t likely to meet anybody. + +Pretty soon we began passing houses, and Brent took the jacket off and +threw it back into the van through the little window in front. In about +five minutes we came to a village. I said, “Go slow or you’ll run over +it.” The village was almose right underneath the van. The main street of +that village was all black and sticky from tar and oil that they had +been sprinkling on it and pretty soon we came to the sprinkler, standing +still right in the middle of the road, with a couple of men near it. + +We had to stop because we couldn’t get past, so we just sat there on the +seat, watching them. The sprinkler wouldn’t work and they were trying to +fix it. One man was sticking a piece of wire into all the little holes +along the pipe that ran crossways at the back of the big tank. + +Brent said, “They’ll never fix it that way. Maybe some of those holes +are clogged up, but not all of them.” Then he called down to the man and +said, “What seems to be the trouble? Won’t she sprinkle?” + +“Mixture’s too gol darned thick, I reckon,” one of the men called back. + +“Well, it wouldn’t clog up all the holes,” Brent said; “probably the +feed pipe is clogged up.” + +The man said, “Well, I don’t know how we’re ever going to get at that +unless we take the whole bloomin’ thing apart.” + +Then I heard Brent say, under his breath kind of, “I could fix that in +five minutes.” + +“Then you have to do it,” the kid shouted; “you have to do a good turn.” + +“Look and see if there isn’t a turn cock on the feed pipe,” Brent called +down; “maybe it joggled shut. That sometimes happens on an auto.” + +The two men got down under the sprinkler and began looking and feeling +around, but they couldn’t seem to find anything. After a couple of +minutes Brent climbed down and said, “Let’s take a look at this.” I +guess they could see that he was a pretty good mechanic, all right. +Anyhow they stepped out of the way and Brent crawled down under the +sprinkler. He lay on his back part way underneath it and we all watched +him. + +“He’ll find the trouble,” Pee-wee said to the man; “he’s head of a scout +troop, he is, and he’s resourceful. A scout has got to be resourceful. +Don’t you worry, we’ll do you a good turn, all right.” + +The men kind of smiled, and one of them said, “All right, sonny. So yer +fer doin’ good turns, hey?” + +“Sure,” Pee-wee said; “that’s one of our rules. If anybody’s in trouble +we’ve got to help them out—no matter how much trouble it is. You see a +scout can always help you out, because he’s resourceful.” + +One of those men said, “Oh, that’s it, is it?” + +“Sure,” the kid shouted; “all you have to do is come to us. Even Uncle +Sam came to us when he wanted to sell Liberty Bonds; we helped him out.” + +The man said, “I bet he was tickled to death.” + +I said to Pee-wee, “Shut up; don’t be shouting so much about good turns. +Actions speak louder than words.” + +“Words speak loud enough,” the kid yelled. + +“_Good night_, you said it,” I told him. + +“Even now we’re doing a good turn,” the kid shouted; “we’ve got three +more autos over on the other road and we’re taking some Uncle Tom’s +Cabin actors to the Veteran’s Reunion. We should worry if the railroad +trains don’t run.” + +Jimmies, I don’t know how much more he might have told them, he’s a +human billboard for the Boy Scouts of America, that kid is; but all of a +sudden, _zip goes the fillum_, that black tarry stuff came shooting out +from all the holes in the sprinkler and Brent came crawling out from +underneath it with his trousers and his shirt all black and sticky and +his hair all mucked up with the stuff and with a big streaky smudge all +over his face. + +“_Good night!”_ I shouted. “What happened?” + +“I found it,” he said; “it had joggled shut, just as I thought. If you +happen to have a few feathers handy, you can tar and feather me. I did a +good turn, only I didn’t turn over and get out quick enough.” + +Oh, boy, that fellow was a sight! + + + + + XIX—BRENT GETS HIS WISH + + +One thing about those men, they weren’t very good scouts, I’ll say that +much. The only good turn they did was to turn around and drive away. +Maybe the Union wouldn’t let them do good turns; Unions have got no use +for good turns. + +First we decided that we’d stop at the nearest house, but one thing +about scouts, they don’t like to ask for help unless they have to. But +if you offer them something to eat it’s all right for them to take it. + +I said to Brent, “Well, you were crazy for an adventure, now you’ve got +one.” + +He said, “I don’t care about such a sticky one. I’m not exactly what you +would call crazy about tar shower baths.” + +“You’ll have to cut your hair off, that’s one sure thing,” I told him; +“you’ll never be able to get that stuff out of your hair.” + +“I’d like to sit down, too,” he said; “but if I did, I could never get +up again. I think the sooner I’m fixed up the better. Let’s run the van +alongside the road and get inside and see what we can do. Our friend’s +suit of clothes is still in there. After boasting about my dreams of +adventure it seems rather tame to go into somebody’s back kitchen for +repairs. I’m afraid Harry would indulge in a gentle smile.” + +“He’d indulge in a gentle fit if he saw you now,” I told him. + +“I say let’s not go to anybody for assistance,” Pee-wee spoke up. “We +can get gasoline out of the tank, so you can wash the tar off your face, +and I’ve got a folding scissors in my scout knife. I’ll cut your hair +for you.” + +“How would you like to have it cut?” I asked him, just kidding him. + +“I think I’d like it cut dark,” he said. + +I said, “Well, we’ll cut it short and then if you don’t like it we’ll +cut it longer.” + +So we decided that we wouldn’t depend on anybody but would act just the +same as if we were on a desert island where there weren’t any barbers +and bathtubs and things, because Columbus and Daniel Boone didn’t have +barbers and bathtubs and things. + +“They depended upon their own initials,” Pee-wee said. + +“You mean initiative,” I told him. + +He said, “What’s the difference?” + +So then I ran the machine over to the side of the road right close to a +kind of a grove and we got some gas out of the tank and Brent and I went +inside the van. We told Pee-wee to stay outside so as to keep people +from opening the doors or fooling with the car, because we were in the +village and we thought maybe people would be hanging around. + +There was only one thing to do with Brent’s hair, and that was to cut it +off, because the tar was so thick there that the gasoline wouldn’t melt +it. I made a pretty good job of it with the little folding scissors in +Pee-wee’s scout knife. We managed to get most of the tar off his face +with the gasoline, but it left his face kind of all black and sooty +looking. + +He couldn’t sit down or lean against anything on account of the tar all +over his clothes, so he took them off and I handed them out to Pee-wee +and told him to throw them in the grove. Then Brent put on the convict’s +suit, and he looked awful funny in it with his dirty face and his hair +all cut short. + +He said, “At last the dream of my young life has come true; I am a +criminal. The only thing is I haven’t committed my crime yet.” + +I said, “Oh, you needn’t be in any hurry about that.” + +He said, “But it seems sort of _false_ for me to be wearing a convict’s +suit when I haven’t committed any crime. It seems like deceiving people. +It troubles my conscience. And I haven’t really escaped either. What +would you do if you were me? I don’t want to disgrace the uniform I +wear. I wish I could think of some nice easy crime. I feel nice and +clean in these things, anyway. But my conscience is black. Do you +suppose there’s a bank in this burg, and a jail? I was thinking if I +could just let myself down by a rope. Only it would be just my luck to +have a cell on the ground floor.” + +I said, “The best cell for you is right in this little old van, at least +till we get out of town. You leave the rope business to Douglas +Fairbanks. If anybody in this place should see you, _good night_, Sister +Anne! And it isn’t any joke, either. Now you’ve got your wish, you’ll +see it isn’t going to be as much fun as you thought it was.” + +Brent sat down on an old grocery box that we had inside the van, and, +jiminetty, I had to laugh, he had such a funny way about him. He looked +awful tough, sort of, without his hair. He said, “Well, I appoint you my +keeper. I hope I’m not such a cheap sort of a criminal as to try to +escape from a delivery van. A stone dungeon or nothing for me.” Gee +whiz, that fellow’s particular. + +Just then the plot grew thicker—oh, _boy_! One of the doors of the van +opened and Pee-wee squeezed in. He had a big piece of paper in his hand. +He said, “I went up the road a little way—shh!” + +I said, “I thought it was kind of quiet outside.” + +He said, “Shh, look at this; it was tacked to a tree. We’re in desperate +peril——” + +Brent said, “In which?” + +“Read this,” the kid whispered. “I didn’t see it till after I threw the +clothes away and they floated down the brook. Dangers thicken—look at +this.” He got those words out of the movies, _dangers thicken_. + +Brent and I read the printing on the paper and this is what it said: + + ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS REWARD + + Offered for information leading to the recapture of Mike + Donovan, alias Rinky, escaped from Indiana State Prison. Was + serving term of fifteen years for burglary and child murder. + Slender of stature. Five feet nine inches in height. Is supposed + to have relations in the east. Age about nineteen. Is known to + be a desperate character, having served terms in New York and + Pennsylvania for burglary and highway robbery. + +There was some more, about who to notify and all that, but I can’t +remember the rest. Brent took the paper from me and sat there on the +grocery box in the dim light with the doors closed, reading it. It +seemed awfully dark and secret, kind of, in there. + +He said, “Larceny, child murder, burglary, and highway robbery. That +isn’t so bad, is it? That’s really more than I expected. I haven’t lived +in vain.” + +“You’ll live in a jail, that’s where you’ll live,” Pee-wee whispered. +“What are we going to do?” + +“You ought to know,” I told him, “a scout is resourceful.” + + + + + CHAPTER XX—WE CONSIDER OUR PREDICAMENT + + + (THAT’S PEE-WEE’S HEADING) + +I said to Brent, “Now you’ve killed a child and highway-robbed people +and broken into houses, I hope you’re satisfied.” + +“And larcenied,” the kid shouted. + +“Shut up,” I told him; “do you want the whole town to hear you? It’s bad +enough as it is; suppose somebody should come walking into this van.” + +Brent said, in that crazy way of his, “Boys, this is the end of an evil +career. This is what comes of getting mixed up with the boy scouts. See +where it has brought me. Never again will I do a good turn.” + +“You’re crazy,” Pee-wee shouted. + +“Shh,” I told him; “have a heart. Do you want to get us all pinched?” + +“It was about the best turn I ever did,” Brent said; “I turned the +stop-cock all the way open. And here I am a prisoner in a dry goods +delivery van with boy scouts for keepers. I’d be ashamed to look an +honest burglar in the face.” Honest, that’s just the crazy way he +talked. He said, “Now the question is to escape. I want to escape in a +way that’s full of pep.” + +Pee-wee said, “You make me tired. Do you mean to say that good +turns——” + +“Will you shut up about good turns, and listen?” I said. + +“I mean to say that a good turn is the cause of my downfall,” Brent +said; “and I wish I had a cigarette. Boys, take a lesson from my +terrible example and don’t ever do a good turn.” + +“What are you talking about?” the kid shouted. + +“Shh,” I told him; “keep still, will you? The first merry-go-round you +see you can get on it and do all the good turns you want, only keep +still and give us a chance to see where we’re at, will you?” + +“It’s printed on the National Headquarters’ letterheads,” he said, “to +do a good turn——” + +“It’s bad advice to give a young boy,” Brent said. + +I said, “Keep still, you’re worse than he is. Give me a chance to think, +will you?” + +“Roosevelt’s name and Taft’s name are on that letterhead,” the kid +began, “so that shows——” + +“I’m surprised that they should give such advice to young boys,” Brent +said. “I wonder if I could escape from this van with a file and let +myself down with a rope?” Then he picked up a can opener and said, “Ha, +ha, just the thing.” + +I said, “Will you please keep still a minute, both of you? Maybe you’ve +heard the scout motto, ‘Be Prepared.’ That’s just as important as good +turns. How are we going to get away from this town? That’s the question. +You and your crimes, and Pee-wee and his good turns, make me tired. +We’ve got to look facts in the face.” + +Brent said, “I’m ashamed to look even a fact in the face.” + +“Well,” I told him, “you’ll be looking a sheriff in the face if you +don’t talk in a whisper, and maybe you’ll find it isn’t so pleasant +being arrested.” + +Brent said, “I’m not thinking about being arrested, I’m thinking about +escaping.” + +“Well, you can’t escape from a dry goods van,” I told him. + +He said, awful sad, kind of, “I know it. Oh, if I were only Eliza and +could be pursued by ferocious bloodhounds.” + +I said, “Well, you can’t have everything. You’ve done pretty well so +far.” + +“Sure you have,” Pee-wee whispered; “there’s one of those notices tacked +up in the Post Office, and everybody is talking about that fellow +escaping. I told them that often boy scouts find missing people. I was +telling them about good turns, and I said we’d be on the lookout.” + +“I hope they won’t look _in_” Brent said. + +“What else did you tell them?” I asked him, good and scared. Because I +knew that if our young hero had been able to round up an audience in the +Post Office, most likely he had given them the whole history of the Boy +Scouts of America and a lot of other stuff besides. + +“I was telling them about good turns,” he said. “There was an old lady +there and I carried a big bundle out to her carriage for her.” + +“And that’s all you told them?” I asked him. + +“I told them we were going to the Veterans’ Reunion at Grumpy’s +Cross-roads,” he said. + +I said, “Did anybody ask you any questions?” + +“Sure,” he said; “a man asked me if I liked gumdrops. He gave me a bag +of them. Want one?” + +“Well,” I said, “the best thing for us to do is to get out of this place +as quick as we can. When we once strike open country, we’ll be all right +and when we meet the rest of the crowd we can scrape up some civilized +duds.” + +“I wonder how I’d look in Brother Abbington’s plug hat just now,” Brent +said. + +“You should worry,” I told him; “you look bad enough already.” + +“Speaking of plug hats,” he said, “don’t forget we have to get a couple +of plugs for the motor. What place is this, anyway?” + +“It’s the place we were looking for,” Pee-wee said; “it’s Barrow’s +Homestead. There aren’t any scouts here, but I told the people all about +them. They’re going to start a troop.” + +I said, “Well, it’s time to start this troop if we don’t want to get +into trouble. This is a pretty risky business.” + + + + + XXI—GETTING STARTED + + +As soon as I heard that Pee-wee had been in the Post Office talking, I +decided that we had better get away from that place just as soon as we +possibly could, if not sooner. Even Brent said he guessed the best way +to escape was inside the van; he said it was more comfortable and +convenient. He said the good old times when people used to escape from +towers and be pursued by ferocious bloodhounds weren’t any more except +in the movies. He said he was discouraged. + +Gee whiz, when I looked at him sitting there on that grocery box with +his face all grimy and his hair cropped and that striped suit on him, I +just had to laugh. I have to admit he’s awful funny, that fellow is. + +I said, “Well, one thing, it’s mighty lucky I know how to drive a car +and I can get us out of this village. And another thing, it’s mighty +lucky we’re still just where the village begins; if we weren’t we’d be +surrounded. If we can get past the Post Office, we’re safe.” + +So then Pee-wee and I tore down the signs we had outside the van about +going all the way from Klucksville to New York, because people would +wonder at fellows our age doing that when there was no big fellow with +us. Safety first, that’s what I said. + +“If they think we’re only going as far as Grumpy’s Cross-roads,” I said, +“I guess nobody’ll be suspicious.” + +Pee-wee said, “Yes, but how about Jolly & Kidder’s name, and New York +printed all over the sides of the van?” + +“A scout is resourceful,” I told him; “let’s tear down the canvas from +inside and be quick about it.” + +Now inside that van was lined with canvas to keep things from getting +scratched, I guess. Brent said it was a padded cell. So we took that +down and tacked it up outside on both sides so that all the printing was +covered. After we did that we closed the doors of the van and locked the +padlock and Pee-wee took the key. Brent called out to us that we should +take a lesson by his terrible example. Then we could hear him kind of +muttering, “I will escape; I will foil you all yet.” Honest, he’s crazy, +that fellow is. + +Pee-wee and I sat down on the back step for about half a minute to make +up our minds what we should say if any one stopped us and asked us +questions. “Anyway,” he said, “that canvas on the sides will make people +suspicious with no printing on it.” + +I said, “Well, we’re not going to print any lies on it, anyway.” + +He said, “We don’t have to print lies. Truth is stranger than +fiction—that’s what it said in a movie play I saw.” + +Then, all of a sudden he out with a piece of chalk that he always +carries so as he can make scout signs and he sprawled all over one side +of the van, + + BOY SCOUTS + EN ROOT TO SOLDIERS’ REUNION + + Our Mottoes: + + BE PREPARED + DO A GOOD TURN DAILY + +I said, “That isn’t the way to spell en route. What’s the matter with +you?” + +I guess he was thinking about root beer, hey? + + + + + XXII—SILENCE! + + +I said to Pee-wee, “Now all we have to do is to go straight about our +business and keep our mouths shut and we’ll get out of this burg all +right. Just keep silence. Nobody’s going to stop us as long as people +don’t get suspicious. I can drive the car till we get out of town and I +don’t think any one will stop me. All _you_ have to do is to keep +silence.” + +“How long do I have to keep it?” he wanted to know. + +I said, “Oh, keep it till it’s all used up, and then I’ll give you some +more. Believe me, you can’t have too much of it just now.” + +“We’ll have to use up a lot of it, hey?” he said. + +“More than _you_ ever used before,” I told him. + +“Anyway,” he said, “an innocent man has nothing to fear.” + +“You got that out of the movies,” I told him. “An innocent man with his +hair cropped and a convict suit on has a whole lot to fear.” + +“Innocence is a shield,” he said; “it’s in my copy book.” + +“Yes?” I said. “Well, an enclosed van is a better shield.” + +“Our lips will be sealed, hey?” he said. I guess he got that out of the +_Dan Dauntless Series_; he eats those books alive. + +I felt kind of shaky driving that van, but I knew I had to do it, and if +a scout has to do a thing he does it. Gee whiz, I like things that are +hard—except licorice jaw breakers. You get three of those for a cent. +Even I can eat those if I have to, but I like marshmallows better. I +like peanut brittle too. But anyway that hasn’t got anything to do with +driving a car. + +For maybe an eighth of a mile there weren’t any houses, because where we +stopped was really on the edge of the village. Anyway that village +didn’t have much of an edge to it. Pretty soon the houses began to get +near together. I guess they were always just as near together but +they—you know what I mean. + +Pee-wee didn’t say a word; he just sat straight up beside me like a +little tin soldier. It was a shame to see him wasting so much silence. + +Pretty soon we came to the Post Office. There were a lot of people +standing around the Post Office and they were talking about the railroad +strike. I knew that if we once got past the Post Office we’d be all +right. Because post offices in the country are where sheriffs and +constables and other people that haven’t got anything to do hang out. It +wasn’t much of a post office. I guess they called it a post office +because there was a post out in front of it. There was one of those +signs tacked to that post. + +I said to Pee-wee, “This is a young reviewing stand. Look straight +ahead, keep your mouth shut, and look kind of careless—you +know—carefree.” + +_Good night_, you should have seen the look he put on! + +“Is that what you call care free?” I whispered to him. “You look like an +advertisement for tooth powder.” + +“That’s the scout smile,” he whispered. + +Honest, you’d have laughed to see him; he was looking straight ahead and +grinning all over his face. + +“Look natural,” I whispered to him. “Look as if there wasn’t a convict +in the van. Look as if you never saw a convict.” + +“How can any fellow look as if he never saw a convict?” he whispered. +“Most everybody has never seen a convict.” + +“Well, look like them, then,” I told him. “Look the same as a person +would look if he wasn’t helping a convict to escape.” + +He put on another kind of a smile and then he whispered to me, “I bet +now those people will say I’m not helping a convict to escape, hey?” + +“Sure,” I told him; “you look as if you were on the track of an ice +cream soda. Keep still and the worst will soon be over.” + + + + + XXIII—FIXING IT + + +As we went past the Post Office I felt pretty shaky, because there were +a whole lot of people there and some of them were women, and there were +a lot of children, too. The women said, “Isn’t he cute?” They meant +Pee-wee. + +Everybody stared at us as we went by, and read the printing on the van +and said how the boy scouts were all right. It didn’t seem as if anybody +was suspicious at all. Some of them waved to us and we waved back and I +heard a man say that we were lively youngsters. Gee whiz, nobody ever +accused us of being dead, that’s one sure thing. + +One lady said how she had seen Pee-wee in the store and how he had told +her all about good turns. She said it must be great to be a boy. Gee +whiz, she said something that time. + +“Now you see,” Pee-wee whispered; “it’s good I was in that store. It’s +good I told them all about the scouts, because now they’re not +suspicious. They think it’s all right for kids to be doing this, because +I told them scouts are resourceful.” + +“Did you tell them how we have plenty of initials?” I asked him. + +“Do you know what safe conduct is?” he asked me. + +“I know that yours isn’t always safe,” I told him. + +“It means when a general promises not to interfere with anybody, even an +enemy. He gives them safe conduct; that means that they can go ahead and +not worry about being pinched, see? These people gave us safe conduct +and they’re not bothering us, because they know the scouts are all +right. It’s on account of the way I talked to them. I came along first +like a kind of a—you know—a what-d’ye-call-it——” + +“I don’t know _what_ to call it,” I said. + +“A herald,” he blurted out. + +“Well,” I said, “you look more like the funny page in the Journal to me. +Don’t talk too loud, the danger isn’t passed.” + +By that time we had got about fifty yards past the Post Office and I was +feeling kind of nervous, but just the same I knew the danger was over. + +Pee-wee said, “Do you mean to tell me that those people would let a +couple of kids like us go by driving a big van, and never ask them any +questions, if they didn’t know that we were all right? I fixed it all +right, while you and Brent were worrying your lives out in the van. Now +we’re safe.” + +I said, “Oh, you’re the little fixer, all right.” + +Just then, _good night_, one of those men came running after us calling, +“Hi thar, wait a minute, you youngsters!” + +Oh, boy, a cold shudder ran down my back. I said, “We’re pinched. I knew +it was too good to be true.” + +I stopped the car and when the man caught up with us he said, all out of +breath, “What’s this here talk one of you youngsters were givin’ us +’baout good turns? Allus ready ter do a favor, as I understand?” + +Oh, bibbie, wasn’t I relieved. + +“That’s our middle name,” Pee-wee said. + +“Wall then, haow abaout doin’ one naow?” the man said. + +By that time there were about a dozen people standing around in the road +and I gave Pee-wee a nudge and said, “Watch your step; let me do the +talking.” + +But he didn’t pay any attention to me. Off he went with a lot of stuff +out of the handbook and wound up by saying how scouts were supposed to +help strangers. “Sure, we’ll do anything you want,” he said; “all you +have to do is to ask us.” + +“Wall then,” the man said, “here’s a lot of folks wantin’ to go to the +reunion at the Crossroads and we was thinkin’ as haow you might pack ’em +inter this here van of yourn as long as the trains ain’t runnin’.” + +_Jumping jiminies!_ I nearly fell through the seat. + + + + + XXIV—SNOOZER SETTLES IT + + +That was a home-run all right I said, all flabbergasted. “You see, the +only trouble is I’m not an experienced driver and these are—they’re +pretty rough roads—and—eh—” + +“That’s one thing about us,” Pee-wee piped up; “we’re not as smart as we +look. Maybe it seems as if we could do most anything, but we can’t. +That’s one thing about a scout, he has to admit it if he doesn’t know +everything. He has to—he has to—eh—he has to safeguard the lives of +others. See? Suppose we ran into a ditch and upset the car and everybody +got killed. They wouldn’t thank us, would they?” + +One of the ladies said, “Oh, isn’t he just too funny for anything!” + +The man said, kind of slow and drawly like, he said, “Wall, yer could +drive slow en’ thar ain’t no ditches.” + +“Even one ditch would be enough,” the kid said. “Isn’t there just one?” + +Jiminetty, I could hardly keep a straight face. There were all those +people crowding around the van and saying how nice it would be if we +would take a group to the reunion and how we had plenty of room. I +thought of Brent sitting on the grocery box inside, and I bet he was +laughing. + +I said under my breath to Pee-wee, “All right, you got us into this with +your good turns; now you can get us out.” + +Then a man said, “A couple of boys who are going to have an eye out to +recapture a convict, like this here little feller says, they ought to be +smart enough and kind enough, I reckon, to give some of these here +disappointed souls a lift. Jest you boys open these here doors and let +the youngsters pile in, so they can go see Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” + +“That—that show isn’t going to be much good,” Pee-wee said; “and I can +tell you one thing, it’s pretty stuffy in that van. That’s one thing +scouts believe in—fresh air.” + +By that time he was fidgeting around on the seat and some of the people +were laughing and some of them looked surprised. + +“That’s just it,” Pee-wee said; “if you were boy scouts and you were +going to try to capture a criminal, you wouldn’t want a lot of children +along, would you? And ladies? Ladies are a-scared of criminals; gee, I +don’t blame them.” + +Somebody said, “Oh, I guess the hounds they got on the trail will find +the convict, all right, so you boys can jest consider if you’re goin’ to +live up to your words or not ’baout doin’ good turns.” + +Oh, boy, that was a terrible moment in Pee-wee’s life. I guess _Dan +Dauntless_ never had so much to worry about. But that kid has some +sense, anyway, and that’s more than that story fellow has. In a couple +of seconds I noticed that he was wiping his face with his handkerchief +and I saw that he was getting the key sort of rolled up in the cloth at +the same time. Then he made believe to put the handkerchief in his back +pocket, but really he dropped it through the little window into the van. +You couldn’t even hear it drop inside. + +Then he said, “The trouble is that this van is locked and we haven’t got +the key.” That kid would never have said that while he had the key, +because it would have been a lie. And scouts don’t lie, that’s sure. + +Jiminy, I don’t know what those people thought; anyway I felt pretty +mean. The ladies said anyway they were just as much obliged to us. The +men looked kind of as if they didn’t have much use for us, but they +didn’t say anything and I had to admit that Pee-wee had got away with it +all right. + +Then, _good night, Sister Anne_, what should I see but our old college +chum Snoozer from the Uncle Tom’s Cabin show. There he was, right among +all those people, pushing them out of the way and sniffing around as if +he was half crazy. Pee-wee and I jumped down and pushed past the people +who were all crowding around the back of the van, and, _good night_, +there was that pesky actor dog with his feet on the step, sniffing and +sniffing at the doors and barking and yelping for all he was worth. + +“Chop down them doors!” I heard a man say. “That’s somethin’ wrong here. +This here dog is an official bloodhound, and, _by gum_, he’s tracked +that thar convict. That chap paid these youngsters to help him escape, +that’s what he has—by thunder! Somebody get an axe out of the Post +Office and chop down these here doors. Don’t either one of you +youngsters try to run or, by thunder, you’ll drop in your tracks. Good +turns, eh? So them’s the kind of good turns you do, hey? Get an axe +somebody—quick!” + + + + + XXV—BIG EXCITEMENT AT BARROW’S HOMESTEAD + + +I was kind of excited, but I said to Pee-wee, “Don’t get scared; all +they’ll do is arrest him; he’ll get off.” + +Then one of the men came up and said to us awful loud and gruff, “Naow, +you kids, aout with that key, hand it over!” + +I said, “Didn’t you hear my chum say that we haven’t got the key? It +shows you don’t know much about scouts if you think they lie. If you +want to know where the key is, it’s inside.” + +“Wall then, yer better crawl through that little winder up thar in front +and git it,” he said. + +“I don’t have to get it,” I told him; “go and get it yourself if you +want it. You must have been reading dime novels if you think that boys +like us help convicts to escape. If you tear down those doors you’ll put +them up again, I’ll tell you that.” + +Just then along came a man with a brass badge on about as big as a +saucer. I said to Pee-wee, “Look what he’s hiding.” He had an axe, too. +There were a lot of people crowding all about him. One of them said, +“It’s a pretty desperate attempt, Constabule.” The man said, “I’ll have +him behind the bars in about a jiffy. These boys is accessories, that’s +what they are.” + +“Accessories are things that come with motor-boats,” the kid whispered +to me. + +I said, “Well, we’re the kind of accessories that come with motor vans. +This is some circus; Brent will get his wish and go to jail, all right. +There’s no use getting scared.” + +By that time everything was excitement. People came running out of +houses and crowded around the van and stared at Pee-wee and me. Gee +whiz, I don’t know where all the people came from. All the while the dog +kept clawing at the doors of the van and barking and yelping. I wondered +how Brent felt inside the van. In about five minutes the whole town was +out, gaping and talking, all excited. + +The constable said to us, “Naow then, you youngsters, you been +compoundin’ a felony, that’s what you been doin’. Now who’s inside that +van? Who yer hidin’? Somebody, hey?” + +“I’m not denying anything,” I told him. “All I say is we didn’t break +any law.” + +“Wall, yer admit yer concealin’ somebody in thar, ain’t yer—huh?” he +shouted. + +I said, “I’m not denying it, but I’m not scared of you.” + +He said, “Yaas? Wall, we’ll soon see. We’ll have him under lock and key +for sartin, if that’s what he likes.” + +“That’s his favorite pastime,” I said; “you don’t know him.” + +“Surraound this here wagon, you people,” the constable said, “and keep a +watch on these kids; they’re pretty slippery.” + +So then the constable and another man began chopping down the doors. +“It’s up to them,” I said to Pee-wee; “we should worry.” + +“What do you suppose Brent will do?” he said. + +“They’ll lock him up till the whole thing is explained,” I said; “they +won’t take our word for anything. He’s got troubles of his own at last; +I hope he’s satisfied. He wanted bread and water, now he’ll get it.” + +“They’ll lock us up, too, won’t they?” the kid said, good and scared. +“That man is keeping his eye on us.” + +All the while the dog kept yelping and clawing at the doors and the +people crowded closer around so as to see better. Gee, I felt kind of +sorry for Brent, because I saw he was up against it. + +All of a sudden down came one of the doors and the bloodhound sprang +inside and came out again. The constable poked his head in and said, +“_Well, I’ll be jiggered!_” Pee-wee and I looked inside and, good night, +that van was as empty as an ice cream soda glass when Pee-wee is through +with it. + +“Well—what—do—you—know—about—that?” I stammered under my breath to +Pee-wee. + +“His dream came true,” Pee-wee whispered to me; “he kept his vow, he +foiled everybody, he _escaped_. He—he—he what-d’ye-call-it—he hasn’t +lived in vain—hey?” + +“He hasn’t lived in the van very long, that’s sure,” I whispered. “He +has put it all over these people and us too. Can you beat that fellow?” + +“He defied locks and bolts and dungeons like Houdini,” the kid said. I +guess he saw Houdini in the movies. + +“Sure, he’s a real hero at last,” I said; “but he’s got _me_ guessing.” + +The constable and a couple of other men were stamping around inside the +van and he called out, “Thar ain’t no clew here, nothin’ but this here +can opener.” And then he came out with the can opener in his hand. + +Gee whiz, I just couldn’t help shouting right out in front of everybody. +I said, “That clew explains the whole mystery. There was a can of baked +beans in that van, and he must have opened it and emptied them out and +secreted himself in the empty can. When we threw the can away, he +escaped.” + +The constable said, “What’s all this talk? I want to know who you kids +is, anyway. And I want ter know what you’re doin’ here, runnin’ this big +van all by yourselves.” + +I said, “I’m Sherlock Nobody Holmes, the boy detective. This is my +trusty pal, Scout Harris. We’re on our way to kidnap Major Grumpy in +this van and hold him until he gives up one thousand dollars to the Boy +Scouts of America. Can you tell us where we can buy a couple of spark +plugs?” + + + + + XXVI—TO THE RESCUE + + +All of a sudden the plot grew thicker. I thought we’d have to thin it +with gasoline, it grew so thick. For a few minutes Pee-wee and I just +stood there wondering what had become of Brent and laughing at the +constable who was holding his axe in one hand and our can opener in the +other, and all the people stood around staring at us as if they didn’t +know what to make of us. + +The constable said, “I daon’t like the looks uv this here, I don’t. You +allowed there was somebody in that van. Now whar is he?” + +I said, “I didn’t allow anything, I just didn’t _deny_ anything. What’s +the use of blaming us because you half chopped the van to pieces? All +you’ve got is a can opener—we should worry. You seem to trust the dog; +if you want to ask any questions you’d better ask _him_. The only person +he knows how to track is Eliza, because that’s his business.“ + +“He’s on the stage,” Pee-wee piped up. + +“You mean he’s in the van,” I said. + +The constable said, “Wall, I reckon you youngsters’d better tell yer +story ter Justice Cummins. It’s mighty funny two young boys travelin’ by +theirselves in a big van.” + +“I’ll recount our adventures to him,” Pee-wee piped up. “Where is he?” + +For about half a minute the constable just stood there staring at us. I +guess he didn’t know what he’d better do. All the rest of the people +stood around, staring. I guess it was the biggest thing that ever +happened in Barrow’s Homestead. Inside the van a couple of men were +holding the bloodhound by the collar. Some excitement. + +All of a sudden, zip goes the fillum, along the road came an auto, +pell-mell! It came through the village from the direction we were going +in. + +“Look!” Pee-wee said. “Look who’s in it; it’s Harry; who’s that with +him?” + +Before I had a chance to say anything, the car was close up to us and +Harry and another person were stepping out. Harry was laughing all over +his face, but he was in a terrible hurry, I could see that. I gave one +look at the person who was with him and began to roar. + +“It’s—it’s Brent—Gaylong,” Pee-wee whispered. + +I said, “Don’t make me laugh any harder or I’ll die of shock.” + +Honest, even now when I think of it I have to laugh. He looked like +Charlie Chaplin only more so. And he had such a funny way about him +too—kind of dignified. He had on a great big straw hat like a farmer +and a black coat like a minister, only it was all in shreds. It was his +trousers that made him look like Charlie Chaplin. Laugh! They were about +a hundred times too big and a mile too long, and every time he took a +step he stumbled all over himself and had to hoist them up. His big hat +was pulled way down over his ears and—oh, I just can’t tell you about +it. He was a scream. And all the while he had a very dignified, severe +look on his face, even when he tripped all over himself. + +Honest, I just howled. I didn’t hear Pee-wee laugh; I guess he must have +fainted. Harry came along behind Brent, trying not to laugh but every +time Brent’s feet caught in his trousers I could see Harry’s face all +twisted up just as if he was trying as hard as he could not to scream. +Every step Brent took I thought he’d go kerflop on the ground. The +people were all giggling, but he didn’t notice them at all, only kept on +looking very sober and stern—oh, boy, it was a scream. + +He said, “What is all this?” And then he fell all over himself and gave +his trousers a hitch. “Who is interfering with these boys in the +performance of their duty? Stand back, everybody!” And he went +staggering against a tree and gave his trousers a good hitch up. “Who is +the leader of this motley throng?” That’s what he said, and, gee whiz, I +thought he’d skid and land on his head. You couldn’t see his hands, his +sleeves were so long. “Who dares to stand—” he said, and, good night, +he went kerflop on the ground and got right up again. I had a headache +from laughing. + +Harry Donnelle just sat down on the step of the van and shook and shook. + +Brent pointed at the sheriff with the floppy end of his sleeve and said, +“You and your minions are charged with trespassing upon the property of +Jolly & Kidder, Inc., New York. Wait till I roll up my sleeves so I can +point better. Who _dares_ to stand in the way of the Boy Scouts of +America?” + +“Thar’s a convict missin’ from araound these parts,” the constable said; +“who are you, anyway, and your friend thar?” + +Brent said, “We represent the Archibald Abbington Uncle Tom’s Cabin +Company who are touring the country, drawing laughter and tears with +their excruciating and heart-rending drama, and I am in search of one of +our ferocious bloodhounds. We are in partnership with the Boy Scouts of +America and any one attempting to interfere with our noble effort to put +an end to slavery will be punished to the full extent of the law. When +we have an opportunity we will endeavor to find your convict for you. +Please stand aside, everybody, and allow the procession to pass.” + + + + + CHAPTER XXVII—ANOTHER DISCOVERY + + +Brent stumbled up the step and stood in back of the van, holding his +trousers up with one hand and waving the other hand in the air. + +“Free ride to the Veterans’ Reunion at Grumpy’s Cross-roads!” he began +shouting. “Children and veterans free! We take you but do not bring you +back. No connection with criminals and convicts! Free ride to the +carnival. Veterans welcome! All aboard for the carnival! Hail to the +Grand Army of the Republic and the Boy Scouts of America. Hurrah for +Jolly & Kidder, New York’s great cash store! Step inside, veterans!” + +Pretty soon an old man with an old blue army cap came hobbling out of +the crowd, and Harry helped him up into the van. That was a starter. Men +began bringing boxes from the Post Office and putting them in the van +for seats. Most of the mothers wouldn’t let their children go because +there wasn’t any way for them to get back, but the veterans didn’t seem +to mind that. We got three veterans in Barrow’s Homestead and then +started out. I don’t know what the constable thought, but we should +worry about that. All the people cheered us and gave us a fine send-off. +Pee-wee said they were stricken with remorse—I guess he got that out of +a movie play. + +We stopped for a couple of spark plugs and to get the timer of the van +adjusted, and a lot of the kids followed us as far as the end of the +town. + +Harry drove the van and Brent drove the touring car, and Pee-wee and I +sat with Brent. + +I said, “I wish you’d tell us about your adventures, you crazy Indian. I +thought we were in for a lot of trouble in that village. You’ve got me +guessing. Anyway you escaped like you said you were going to do. But I’d +like to know where you came from and where you got that bunch of rags.” + +He said, “You should never laugh at honest rags. Beneath these rags +beats a noble heart. Boys, I am sick of crime and I am going to reform.” +That’s just the way he talked, the crazy Indian. He said, “I have had my +fondest wish, I have been a convict—a villyan. I have languished in a +dark moving van, I have foiled the shrewdest people in the world, the +boy scouts—not. Would you like to hear the story of my evil career? I +began life as an honest boy. I never stole but once in my life and that +was when I stole second base in a ball game.” + +I said, “Will you stop your jollying and tell us what happened?” + +He said, “Posilutely I will. There were two boy scouts sitting on the +step outside the Jolly & Kidder state prison. I was inside in my +convicts’ stripes.” + +“Were you languishing?” Pee-wee piped up. + +Brent said, “No, I was eating a banana. I said two scouts, but really it +was only about one and a half. They were supposed to be alert, +observant, resourceful.” + +I said, “That’s right, rub it into us.” + +He said, “While they were arguing on the back step I stood upon a +grocery box and crawled through the little window in back of the front +seat. I was _free_, like Monte Carlo—I mean Monte Cristo—” + +“You mean Monticello,” I told him. + +“You mean Montenegro,” Pee-wee put in. + +“The world seemed bright and new,” Brent said. + +“You’re crazy,” I told him; “go on, where did you get those clothes?” + +He said, “Shh. Can I count on you never to breathe a word? The man I got +these clothes from lies dead in yonder swamp.” + +“Who put him there?” Pee-wee wanted to know. + +Brent said, “Shh, I did. The man was innocent. He was standing in a +field beyond the swamp. He was doing no harm. I approached him, crawling +through the grass.” + +“What was he doing there?” Pee-wee wanted to know. + +“He was scaring away crows,” Brent said. + +“_He was a scarecrow_!” I blurted out. + +“A harmless, innocent, hard working scarecrow,” Brent said. “As I think +of it now——” + +[Illustration: BRENT CAPTURED A SCARECROW.] + +“You make me tired!” Pee-wee yelled. “Why didn’t you say so?” + +Brent said, “His trustful, happy, carefree face haunts me now. He was +only scaring away the crows——” + +“You give me a pain!” the kid shouted. “You’re crazy.” + +Brent said, “But I thought of my dungeon in the Jolly & Kidder van and +of my brutal keepers, those two boy scouts—asleep on the back step. I +said to myself, ‘I will never return whither——’” + +“You mean thither,” Pee-wee said. + +“I said to myself, ‘They will have to kill me to take me alive,’” Brent +said. + +“Anyway, you killed him?” I asked him. + +He said, “I killed him in cold blood—anyway it wasn’t more than +lukewarm. I tore him to pieces and took his clothes and concealed my +telltale convict stripes under a weeping willow. It was weeping its eyes +out.” + +“It’s a wonder it wasn’t laughing,” I told him. + +He said, “The poor fellow was as thin as a stick; his arms were made of +a cross stick, I think it was a broom stick. He lies under the marsh +grass in yonder swamp. And I am free!” + +“You’re crazy too,” the kid shouted. + +“I said I would escape and I did,” Brent began to laugh. “I decided that +I would escape from the very people who claim to be the most alert and +wide-awake—the boy scouts. You say I’m crazy. Very well, even a crazy +person can foil the boy scouts. I suppose that’s what you call logic.” + +“That’s what you call nonsense,” Pee-wee yelled. + +“I hope you boys had a good nap while I was escaping,” Brent said. “It +was a shame to do it, it was so easy. I tried to leave good plain +footprints, I did all that an honest convict could to help you, but in +vain. I doubt if the boy scouts could trail a steam roller. As for the +authorities of Barrow’s Homestead ... but I’ve seen enough of crime and +its evil results.” That’s just the way he talked. “Henceforth I mean to +be honest.” + +“You’re a nut, that’s what you are!” Pee-wee shouted. + +Brent said, awful kind of heroic like, he said, “Ha! Sayest thou so? +Then glance at this paper.” + +I said, “What is it? Where did you get it?” + +“I got it out of the inside pocket of this old coat,” he said; “and it +means mischief. _Shh_, no one has seen it but Harry Domicile; he agrees +with me that it has to do with a dark plot.” + +“You mean you found it in the scarecrow’s pocket?” Pee-wee asked him, +all excited. + +“I found it in the scarecrow’s inside pocket,” Brent said. “I don’t +think the scarecrow knew it was there. It is very mysterious. I think we +are on the track of a new mystery. That anybody who wore a black frock +coat should have had such a paper in his possession is very strange. It +is no wonder the crows shunned him.” + + + + + CHAPTER XXVIII—A MYSTERIOUS PAPER + + +Brent handed me the paper and Pee-wee nearly pushed me off the seat +sticking his head way over and trying to read it. I have to admit it was +mighty interesting what was on that paper. The more Pee-wee stared at it +the bigger his eyes got, and it had _me_ guessing, too. + +All the while, Brent just sat there driving the machine as if he wasn’t +interested in the paper at all. He said, “You seem to like it. I pick up +papers like that every day. If you don’t care for that one, just say so +and I’ll dig you up another; I’ll find you German spy maps, lost patent +papers of wonderful inventions, mortgage papers stolen by villyans, +anything you say; just say the word.” + +“If you don’t care for this one, don’t be afraid to say so. I know where +there are some documents about a dark anarchist plot. Do you care about +anarchist plots? Some people like them and others don’t; it’s just a +matter of taste.“ + +I said, “_Good night_, this will do for me.” + +Pee-wee said, all excited, “Maybe it means millions of dollars; maybe it +means bars of gold. We’ll solve the mystery, hey?” + +“Oh, just as you say,” Brent said; “you know my stand on mysteries and +adventures; I eat them raw.” + +That paper was all old and yellow and when we opened it I had to hold it +on my knee, because it tore where the creases were. I guess maybe it was +as old as ten years. It looked as if it had been torn out of a +memorandum book and the writing was made with a lead pencil and it was +kind of blurred, but anyway, this is what it said: + + Snake Creek. North shore from Ohio R. to Skeleton Cove, Top of S + Cove. Follow line due north from willow. Cons to west. Stake. + Measure ninety-two feet along north line, then follow line due + NW through T.W. Stake. Treasure at HW limit, indicated at AN + Stake. Follow S line south to pie. + +Pee-wee said, very mysterious like, “What da you think it is? It tells +where there’s buried treasure, doesn’t it?” + +“Sure it does,” I said. “It sounds just like the directions in the _Gold +Bug_ by Edgar Allan Poe.” + +“It sounds just like _Treasure Island_,” Pee-wee put in. + +Brent said, “Well, I don’t know. I was thinking about it and I decided +that it’s a bill of fare.” + +“A what?” Pee-wee shouted. + +“You see it’s got stake and pie on it,” Brent said. + +“You make me tired!” the kid fairly yelled. “That paper shows where +buried treasure is hidden.” + +Brent said, “Well then, that scarecrow must have been a pirate in his +younger days. He had an evil past and I’m glad I killed him.” + +“You seem to think it’s a joke,” I said; “but it tells where there’s +buried treasure, that’s one sure thing. You can’t make anything else out +of it—can you?” + +Brent said, “Buried treasure’s good enough for _me_—gold or stakes or +pies, I don’t care. I’d like to dig up a few buckwheat cakes just now.” + +“Do you know what you are? Do you know what you are?” the kid began +shouting. “You’re a Philippine—that’s what you are!” + +I said, “You mean a philistine—that’s a person that makes fun of things +and doesn’t believe anything.” + +Brent said, “The only time I ever went after buried treasure I was +_foiled_ by the boy scouts. Never again. They wouldn’t chop down a tree +under which the treasure was buried because they loved trees.” + +“This isn’t under a tree,” Pee-wee said; “it’s in a cove—on the end of +a line due north. That’s different. That’s always the kind of a place +wkere treasure is—in a cove. You can tell by the names that there’s +treasure there—Snake Creek and Skeleton Cove and lines due north and +willows and everything. It says _treasure_, doesn’t it? What more do you +want?” + +“Only where’s the place?” Brent said. + +“We’ll find it,” Pee-wee said; “we’ll find it if we, if we—drop in our +tracks.” + +Brent said, “That’s something I’ve always longed to do—drop in my +tracks. I’d like to be rescued by a St. Bernard dog.” + +I said, “_Good night_, have a heart. There are dogs enough in this +series of thrilling adventures.” + +Brent said, “Well anyway, this is the only story of adventure that has a +scarecrow for a villain. What d’ye say?” + + + + + XXIX—THE MYSTERY DEEPENS + + +Brent said, “Well, as long as you like my little mystery, we might as +well take a peep into it. We may have a couple of hairbreadth escapes, +you never can tell. By rights, we ought to quarrel over the treasure +after we have found it, and all kill each other. That’s the way they +usually do.” + +“They don’t do that way any more,” Pee-wee said; “they divide it up.” + +Brent said, “No, I insist on quarreling over it.” + +He folded the paper and put it back in his pocket. It seemed funny for a +paper like that to be in an old black frock coat like ministers wear. I +had to laugh at Brent on account of the sober way he tucked it back into +the pocket. + +I said, “It’s got _me_ interested, that’s one sure thing. But how are we +going to find out where that place is?” + +He said, “Well, the proper way would be for us just to fit out an +expedition and go in search of it like old what’s-his-name who hunted +for the soda fountain down in Florida.” + +Pee-wee said, “Ponce de Leon, he hunted for the Fountain of Youth.” + +“But the best way,” Brent said, “if you’re really interested, is for us +to get hold of a map of the Ohio River when we hit Indianapolis. We +cross the Ohio at Wheeling and if that old creek is anywhere in our +neighborhood we’ll see if we can hoe up a few nuggets. That’s the proper +thing, isn’t it—nuggets?” + +“Nuggets and pieces of eight,” Pee-wee said, very serious. + +Brent said that we had enough on our minds then, with the Uncle Tom’s +Cabin people and the Veterans’ Reunion, and that we’d better get along, +especially as Harry with the van had almost caught up to us. + +But one more thing happened before we got very far from Barrow’s +Homestead, and it threw some light on the mystery—that’s what Pee-wee +said. A man in a pair of overalls came along the road and Brent stopped +to ask him a couple of questions. While the machine was standing there, +the van passed us. Gee, there were a lot of people in it and on it and +all over. + +Harry said, “Do you want us to tow you? Come on, hurry up, you’ll be +late for the show. We’ve got Sherman’s march through Georgia beat a +hundred ways.” + +Brent said, “Don’t bother us, we’re chasing after nuggets.” Then he said +to the man, “You don’t happen to know who owns that land beyond the +marsh down at the other end of town, do you? Before you get to the Post +Office? There’s a big cornfield there.” + +I whispered to Pee-wee, “Keep your mouth shut, now, and don’t tell him +about good turns.” + +The man said, “Yer mean swamp acres? That’s part o’ th’ old Deacon +Snookbeck place.” + +Brent said, “Yes. Who’s he?” + +“Wa’l, he ain’t,” the man said, “but he was. Th’ best thing I can say +abaout that ole codger is, he’s dead.” + +Brent rested his arms on the steering wheel and talked kind of careless, +sort of. He said, “I was just wondering if the place was for sale. So he +was a queer ole codger, the deacon, hey?” + +The man said, “Yes, en’ more’n that as I’ve heared tell. I guess young +Snookbeck ain’t calc’latin’ on sellln’ th’ place. I reckon nobody raound +these parts is wantin’ ter buy it, neither. Yer see thar was a kind of a +mystery ’baout ole Ebenezer. Some folks even say his haouse is haunted +by a chap he murdered. But I reckon he wasn’ as bad as all that.” + +Oh, boy, you should have seen Pee-wee! He just sat there staring, his +eyes as big as dinner plates. He didn’t say a word, only just stared. + +Brent said, “House of mystery, hey? The Frock-coated Villyan! That would +be a good name for a photoplay, huh?” + +That man leaned his elbow on the side of the car and said, kind of +friendly like, as if we were special friends of his, he said, “Wa’l, +’baout, let’s see, nigh onter ten year ago, thar was a couple of young +chaps wearin’ khaki like you chaps, come out this way en they wuz +rootin’ raound on th’ deacon’s farm. They weren’t plantin’, that was +sure; and they weren’t no farm hands. Nobody seemed jest able ter find +out ezactly what they were, ’cause they never talked ter nobody. Aunt +Josie Anne, daown th’ road a piece, asked one uv ’em who he thought he +was. He said he thought he was Santa Claus, but he wasn’ sure. They wuz +kind o’ comics, both uv ’em. Wa’l, I ain’t ashamed ter tell no man who I +am.” + +Brent said, “You’re right,” just sort of to encourage him to talk. + +The man said, “Wa’l, they stayed at th’ deacon’s house ’n’ one night +they wuz out with a lantern in the middle of the night, under the big +tree near th’ deacon’s haouse. Steub Berry, he ’laowed they wuz buryin’ +treasure thar. Some folks had it them two strangers wuz Mexican spies +’n’ others reckoned they wuz army deserters. Th’ ole deacon, he jes’ +laughed and said we couldn’ guess. He wouldn’ deny nuthin’. All of a +sudden, _ker-bang_, they disappeared jes’ like that ’n’ some folks said +th’ deacon murdered both uv ’em ter git th’ treasure. My wife, she allus +had it, they come off some ranch or other with a lot uv stealin’s. Wa’l, +’twas a nine days’ wonder ’n arter that folks kinder fought shy of th’ +deacon.” + +Brent said, “And he’s dead now?” + +“Oh, deader’n a mummy,” the man said. “When the world war come some +folks said as haow that pair might a been German spies all th’ while, +kind uv studying ’raound. But young Snookbeck he says if old Ebenezer +had anything hid it would be in his Bible, en’ ’s long ’s ’tain’t thar, +’tain’t nowhere. But that’s treasure hid somewhere, I say, ’cause them +wuz mighty funny doin’s of them strangers. Yer goin’ ter th’ reunion +over t’ ’he Cross-roads?” + + + + + CHAPTER XXX—WE MAKE A PROMISE + + +As soon as we had started, Brent said, “Well, it doesn’t look half bad, +does it?” + +“Do you know who those fellows were? Do you know who those fellows +were?” our young hero fairly screamed. + +“I think they came from Mars,” Brent said; “that’s the way it looks to +me.” + +I said, “You can joke but it’s pretty serious.” + +“They were _smugglers_ that’s what they were,” Pee-wee shouted. + +“They were either smugglers or book-agents,” Brent said. “In either case +they deserved to be murdered. Maybe they were introducing a new kind of +soap——” + +“You make me sick,” Pee-wee yelled; “there’s treasure somewhere and +we’re going to find it! It’s at HW limit, it said so, HW means something +about _hollow well_, I bet you.” + +Brent said, “Maybe it means hot waffles; there’s a whole table d’hote +dinner in that paper. Maybe it means Hamburger wheat cakes. Anyway, the +Ohio River is a long way from Barrow’s Homestead.” + +Then Brent got kind of serious, not _very_ serious, but kind of +serious—as serious as he could. And he said we should promise him that +we wouldn’t think any more about that dark, mysterious paper, or talk +about it to the other fellows until we got all through at Grumpy’s +Crossroads and reached Indianapolis so he could get hold of a map. +Because if we couldn’t find any stream named Snake Creek running into +the Ohio River, he didn’t want the fellows to be disappointed. He said +there was no use of our going on a wild goose chase. + +You can bet we kept our promise to Brent, but I guess Pee-wee didn’t +have any more sleep till we reached Indianapolis. But anyway, he had a +pretty good appetite. He buried some treasure every night—ice cream +sodas at the reunion. + +That’s one thing I like about slavery. Because if there hadn’t been any +slavery there wouldn’t have been any Civil War, and if there hadn’t been +any Civil War there wouldn’t have been any Veterans’ Reunion, and if +there hadn’t been any Veterans’ Reunion, there wouldn’t have been any +ice cream sodas there. See? + +Gee whiz, I never was in the Civil War, or the uncivilized war or any +other kind, but I got a black eye once. Anyway, I killed four sodas when +I got to that reunion. + +I did it for my country’s sake. + + + + + CHAPTER XXXI—WE REACH OUR DESTINATION + + +Now maybe you’ll say it was a long time since we left those other cars +and the rest of the fellows, but it was only about an hour. Only a lot +happened in that hour—it was condensed, like. That’s the way I like +things. Only I don’t like condensed milk. But I wish they had condensed +ice cream. Pee-wee’s a condensed scout. I’d like to have condensed +lessons, too. Anyway my sister likes pickles—gee, I hate them. She says +even a postage stamp can stick to its subject better than I can. I +should worry. I told her you could send an animal by mail, because once +I saw a letter with a seal on it. She’s all the time sending notes to +Harry Donnelle, she is. She gets awful mad when I jolly her. She plays +the mandolin. + +Let’s see, where was I? Oh, yes, now I know. Pretty soon (she likes +bonbons too), pretty soon the van and our car came to the place where +the two roads what-d’ye-call-it—converge—that means come together. +And, gee whiz, we had a young reunion right there. Mr. Abbington was +awful nice, but, oh boy, he could hardly keep that other bloodhound from +chewing Brent all to pieces. I guess he thought he was a tramp. + +Harry said, “Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce the Scarecrow +of Barrow’s Homestead. The only one in captivity. We intend to exhibit +him at the reunion for the small sum of a dime, ten cents—three cents’ +war tax. He used to be an escaped convict, but now he’s reformed and +he’s a respectable scarecrow, the only real scarecrow ever exhibited. +The crows drop dead when they see him.” + +Gee whiz, you ought to have heard Miss Ophelia and Topsy laugh. Even +little Eva, _she_ laughed. I guess she forgot that she was going to die +and go to Heaven. Anyway, she was awful happy. Gee, Brent made them all +laugh. + +I bet you think it was a crazy procession that started off for Grumpy’s +Cross-roads, but what cared we? Gee whiz, if you don’t like it you know +what you can do. + +There was Harry driving the van that was chock full of veterans, because +they had picked up some along the road, and those veterans couldn’t even +have gone if the railroads had been running, because they lived too far +away from stations and they had never been to things like that before. + +Harry made all the Uncle Tom’s Cabin people wear their costumes and when +we got near to Grumpy’s Cross-roads he had the cruel villyan stand on +top of the van cracking his whip. But anyway Uncle Tom sat beside me, +eating peanuts, and he should worry. Brent looked awful funny, driving +one of the touring cars, but that only made it funnier. + +After about two hours more we came to Grumpy’s Cross-roads. They were +pretty cross, all right, because there was a sign that said: + + AUTOMOBILE LAWS STRICTLY ENFORCED + +Oh, boy, you just ought to have seen us. The big van went first, with +the man with the whip up on top, holding the ferocious bloodhounds. Next +came Rossie’s car full of veterans and then the other two cars full of +those actor people all dressed up for their play. + +We rolled into the Main Street and a band that was there, just getting +ready to go to the parade ground, I guess, marched in front of us and +played “Peggy.” Inside of ten seconds there were people crowding all +around us, but Harry told them to get out of the way, he didn’t care who +they were—constables, sheriffs, judges, or anything. + +“Where’s the parade ground?” he shouted. + +A man called, “Who are you, anyway? Whar do you come from?” + +Gee whiz, it gave me a good thrill when I heard Harry shout back, “We’re +the Boy Scouts of America, that’s who _we_ are! Friends and comrades to +the boys who were chased off the parade ground. And the show opens at 3 +P. M. sharp, so get your tickets and buy your peanuts! We’re here! And +not all the railroads in the country can stop us. _On the job_, that’s +our motto! Get from under if you don’t want to be run down. There’s only +one man in this whole country we’ll take any orders from and that’s +Major Grumpy!” + + + + + CHAPTER XXXII—SURRENDER AND INDEMNITY + + +Gee whiz, we reminded ourselves of General Pershing coming home. Just +before we drove into the parade ground, a little fellow about as big as +Pee-wee came running up and called to us. He was all excited. He +shouted, “We read your signal; we saw it way up on the mountain. People +said it was just the woods on fire but we knew what it meant; we read +it. We’ve got a signaler in our patrol. But Major Grumpy said it was +just the woods on fire.” + +Harry shouted down to him, “Climb up on the band wagon and be quick +about it if you want to be in at the finish. Where’s the rest of your +bunch?” + +Pee-wee said, “_Troop, not bunch_; don’t you know anything about the +scouts?” + +Harry said, “Excuse me, I mean gang.” + +That kid said that most of them were peeking through the fence of the +parade grounds, because they had been chased out. He said one of them +went in to tell Major Grumpy about the smudge message and that he had +been chased out again. He said they had dandy ice cream cones in there; +he said the ice cream went way down into the point. Oh, boy, that’s the +kind I like. He said that one of them had enough ice cream in it for two +fellows; gee, I’ve never seen any like that. But I’ve seen fellows that +have room enough for two cones. + +Poor little kid, he didn’t have any scout suit or anything—only just a +scout hat. + +Harry said, awful nice and friendly sort of, he said, “Well, you just +climb up here. So you read that message, hey? Well, you and your outfit +are all right, Kiddo.” + +“Not outfit!” Pee-wee yelled. + +Harry said, “Excuse me, I mean sewing circle.” + +I guess that kid thought Harry was crazy; anyway we don’t need anybody +to tell us we’re crazy, because we admit it. + +That kid said, “Have you got tickets to get into the grounds?” + +“Tickets?” Harry said. “What do we want tickets for when we’re going to +roll up the parade ground and take it home with us. Who are you for? The +Grand Army or the Boy Scouts? We don’t want any hyphens here.” + +Poor little kid, he looked more like a period than a hyphen. He was kind +of scared of Harry, I guess. + +Harry said, “We’ve got six scouts, about a dozen veterans, two +bloodhounds, nine actors and one scarecrow. Do you think we’re afraid?” + +“Surrender! That’s what we’re here for,” Rossie said. + +“Surrender with indemnity,” Harry said. + +Poor little kid, he looked all around from one of us to another and then +kept staring at Brent. I guess he didn’t know what to make of him. Maybe +he thought Brent was a camouflaged cannon, hey? + +When we got to the parade ground there were autos and wagons standing +around and lots of people going in. There was a sign up that said there +wouldn’t be any show on account of the railroad strike. And there were +about a half a dozen poor little codgers peeking in through cracks in +the fence; honest it made me feel sorry just to see them. Two or three +of them had on scout hats, but most of them only had scout badges. + +Gee whiz, Harry Domicile didn’t care about anybody; all the people, even +the doorkeepers, began staring at us but he should worry. He shouted to +those kids, “Fall in line, you; reenforcements are here! Two companies +of war-worn veterans, one Uncle Tom’s Cabin troupe, two bloodhounds, six +boy scouts, and a scarecrow! Climb aboard. On to victory!” + +“And a popcorn bar!” Pee-wee shouted. Jiminies, already he had bought +one of those sticky things and he was all gummed up like a piece of +fly-paper. He had to hold one of his hands out flat with the fingers all +apart, it was so sticky. “We’ll take all the lemonade booths and candy +counters and everything!” he shouted. “We’ll show no mercy, hey?” + +I said, “Shut up, you Hun! Already that popcorn bar looks like Rheims +Cathedral.” + +He shouted, “I’ve got a chocolate stick, too, and I’m going to devastate +that!” + +Talk about frightfulness! + +I guess those poor little kids thought we were crazy. Brent stood up on +the seat of his car and made gestures so as his long sleeves flopped +every which way. He shouted, “Every new recruit report to the commissary +general and receive six rounds of peanuts and three rounds of licorice +jaw-breakers. Step up!” + +Oh, boy, you should have seen those veterans laugh; they just +chuckled—you know the way old men do. One of them said he had fought at +Gettysburg but that he had never seen anything like this before; oh, +boy, didn’t he chuckle! + +I don’t know when Brent got them, but anyway, he had the pockets of that +crazy old coat full of bags of peanuts, and he handed them around to all +those little fellows. He made those kids stay in his car, too. They all +started eating peanuts, but just the same they looked sort of scared, as +if they didn’t know what was going to happen. + +Harry climbed up on top of the van and began shouting to all of us who +were in the touring cars; gee, but those cars were crowded. About a +hundred people were crowding around us too, just staring and laughing; +you couldn’t blame them. But what made me laugh most of all was to see +those veterans—_good night!_ Even when they were getting wounded in the +Civil War, I bet they didn’t have nearly as much fun. + + + + + XXXIII—MOBILIZING + + +This is the speech that Harry made to his troops, because my sister made +him write it out for me, because she said it would go down in history. +Brent Gaylong said he hoped if it went down it would never come up +again. Last term I passed seventy-two in history, but, gee, I hate +dates—I don’t mean the kind you eat. + +This is the speech that Harry made. He said: + + My brave soldiers: + + Lieutenant Harris will please take the candy out of his mouth + and listen. + +“I don’t listen with my mouth,” Pee-wee shouted. + +“Well then, close it,” I told him, “and listen to your superior +officer.” + +Harry said: + + We are outside the Parade Ground of Grumpy’s Cross-roads. We are + here to demand an unconditional surrender. A courier will go + within under the protection of a white flag. + +“I’ll go, I’ve got some popcorn; that’s white,” Pee-wee yelled. + + If Major Grumpy refuses our terms, then we will storm his + stronghold with every peanut that we hold. We shall demand + indemnity. + +“Demand the territory where the lemonade counter is,” Pee-wee shouted. + +Then everybody began hooting and yelling, and Brent stood up in those +crazy old rags and began flapping his sleeves to keep us quiet and the +old veterans shook—kind of like a Ford car. + +Then Harry read us a note that he said should be delivered to Major +Grumpy in person. + +“I’ll deliver it,” Pee-wee shouted; “I want to get a frankfurter, +anyway.” + +This was the note: + + Major Grumpy, Commanding Officer, + Veterans’ Reunion: + + You are hereby informed that the allied forces, consisting of + Boy Scouts, Civil War Veterans, scarecrows, and scout + reinforcements from your own town, offer you the choice of + unconditional surrender or complete extinction. As hostages we + hold Uncle Tom’s Cabin troupe scheduled to appear at your + reunion. Ten minutes will be given for an answer. We shall + advance against your stronghold immediately. + +One of the veterans said it would be better to say, “I purpose to move +immediately against your works,” because those were the very same words +that General Grant used. So Harry put it that way. + +Then he said, “Let us have peace,” because that was what General Grant +said, too. Pee-wee thought he said, “Let’s have a piece,” so he chucked +a licorice jaw-breaker up and it struck Harry, kerplunk, on the face. + +That was the beginning of hostilities. + +Pee-wee fired the first shot. + + + + + CHAPTER XXXIV—TR-R-AITORS! + + +That was the only shot in the whole war. It was a punk war. Harry said, +“Let the bloodshed cease; who’ll volunteer to go in as a courier?” + +Pee-wee shouted, “I will.” + +So Harry gave him the note and told him to stick a white popcorn bar on +a stick for a flag of truce. Honest, if you could have seen that kid +start off with the note in one hand and that popcorn flag of truce in +the other and his mouth all stuck up with licorice candy, you’d have +laughed till you cried. + +We waited for about ten minutes but still he didn’t come out, so Harry +called for another volunteer and Westy went in, because he said he could +remember just what was in the note. _Good night_, he didn’t come out +again, either. + +[Illustration: “WE’RE MAKING A DESPERATE CALVARY CHARGE,” SHOUTED +PEE-WEE.] + +Harry said, “This is very strange; they’ve either deserted or they’re +being held as prisoners.” + +Then Charlie Seabury said he’d go in, so he pinned a marshmallow onto +his buttonhole and went through the admission gate. But he didn’t come +back, either. + +Pretty soon five of the fellows had gone in—all the fellows in my +patrol except myself. And none of them came back. We decided that they +were all being held as prisoners. + +Harry said, “This is not civilized warfare at all—not to respect a flag +of truce.” + +I said, “Gee whiz, I never heard of a fellow that wouldn’t respect a +marshmallow or a popcorn bar. Even I respect gum drops.” + +Brent said, “Well, the only thing to do is to enter the grounds and +seize the rifles in the shooting gallery. If we can surround the dining +pavilion and seize all the sandwiches, we can cut off their base of +supplies and force a surrender. What say, comrades?” + +Harry said that was the only thing to do so he paid fifteen cents +admission for all of us on account of that being civilized warfare. Then +we drove in, and I bet that gatekeeper thought that we were from an +insane asylum, especially when he took a good look at Brent. + +And, _good night, Sister Anne_, excuse me while I laugh! What do you +think we saw when we got inside that place? About a couple of hundred +feet away was a merry-go-round, and riding around on it were our young +hero and those other four fellows, and they were all holding on to the +brass rods with one hand and eating frankfurters with the other. + +“I got the brass ring! I got the brass ring!” Pee-wee shouted. “I get an +extra ridel I’m promoted from the Infantry, I’m in the Cavalry! We’re +making a desperate cavalry charge!” + +Can you beat that kid? + + + + + CHAPTER XXXV—PEACE WITH INDEMNITY + + +I said, “We should worry about the cavalry; the only thing that this +cavalry can surround is the organ on the merry-go-round.” + +“I can surround a frankfurter,” Pee-wee shouted. Believe me, he could. + +Harry said, “The cavalry will dismount; you’re all court-martialed and +ordered to be shot at sunrise in the shooting gallery. Fall in line.” + +Jiminies, I had to laugh to see that bunch trotting along after the +autos, all the while munching frankfurters. I guess we were the craziest +looking parade that ever was; but you can have a lot of fun being crazy, +that’s one thing sure. All the people stopped what they were doing and +followed after us. Most of the things that they were doing were eating. +I wouldn’t stop doing that for anybody, I wouldn’t. + +All around were veterans in old blue coats and they were sitting in +groups talking; they were talking about Gettysburg and Richmond, and +General Grant, and things like that. One of them was talking about Sugar +Loaf Mountain and Pee-wee kind of slowed up so as he could listen. I +guess he thought it was some kind of candy, hey? Harry looked around and +shouted, “Attention!” And the kid jumped about a foot in the air. + +Pretty soon we came to a little tent and there was a sign on it that +said, “_Administration Tent_.” + +Pee-wee shouted, “Go on, till we come to the commissary tent.” + +I shouted back to him, “You’re a whole commissary in yourself. You’re a +nice looking sight to demand a surrender. The first thing you want to +seize is a wash basin!” + +Sitting in front of that tent were several veterans and one of them was +kind of cross and severe looking and he had a bald head. His head was so +bald that I guess he didn’t know where to stop washing his face. You +couldn’t even tell where his face was unless he put his hat on. He +looked as if he was used to bossing people around. Anyway, I knew he was +a Union soldier, because he had a telegram in his hand and it said +_Western Union_ on it. + +We all stopped right in front of the tent and Harry got down and made a +salute; it was awful funny. He said, “Major Grumpy, I believe?” + +“That is my name, sir,” the old man said, very stern, kind of like a +school principal. + +Harry said, “I am Lieutenant Donnelle and these are my allied forces. We +come here under the protection of a white—eh, a white popcorn bar. Hold +up the popcorn bar, Private Harris.” + +“It’s all gone,” Private Harris piped up. + +Harry said, “I’m very sorry that our flag of truce has been eaten by one +of our starving troopers. We are here to demand the surrender——” + +“Scouts are supposed to say _please_” Will Dawson piped up. + +Harry said, “Right. Scouts are polite even amid bloodshed and the roar +of cannon.” + +Major Grumpy said, “You look as if you had just taken the city of +Frankfort, judging from your rear guard.” + +Harry said, “Major Grumpy, your official report that Uncle Tom’s Cabin +will not be given here to-day is not true; it is a garbled report. Allow +me to tell you that, thanks to the boy scouts whom you sneer at and +evict from your property, Eliza will be chased as per schedule, Uncle +Tom will be thoroughly beaten, and little Eva will die and go to heaven +as announced.” + +Major Grumpy was kind of surprised. First he looked us all over, and +Brent took off his hat and flapped his long sleeves at him, awful funny. +Then the major said, “Who put you off this property?” + +Then Harry said, “What you do to a boy scout, you do to every boy scout +in the United States, including Mars and Grumpy’s Cross-roads and all +outlying sections. When you put these little townsmen of yours out of +that shady grove over there, you put _us_ out. Do you know that? Even +Uncle Tom, who gets whipped six times a week, not including Wednesday +and Saturday matinees, says he never heard of such treatment. You call +the Grand Army a kind of brotherhood, but let me tell you, Major, that +we’ve got that name _brotherhood_ copyrighted, all rights reserved. When +you put these little fellows off your land, you put half a million +scouts off your land, and that’s a bigger army than the Grand Army ever +was. + +“We sent up a signal to say that we were coming and that message was +delivered to you and you thought it was a lot of nonsense.” + +The major said, “So you were responsible for that column of smoke, hey?” + +Harry said, “You’re kind of old fashioned, Major, on signal corps work. +That was us, all right, and these little neighbors of yours gave you the +message and you laughed at them. Well, here we are with the goods, +Little Eva weeping her eyes out, Topsy ready to cut up, and Simon Legree +with his whip; here we are just as we said we’d be—Johnny on the spot. +We’ve brought with us every veteran between here and Barrow’s Homestead +and they’re with us to the last ditch. Field Marshal Gaylong here is +feared by every crow in the west. Now what are you going to do about it? + +“We purpose, Major, to cut off your base of supplies; it’s either that +or surrender. We want that shady little grove over there as indemnity. +If we don’t get it we’re going to seize all the ice cream, all the soda +water, all the lemonade, all the candy, all the popcorn on this bloody +battlefield and starve you out. The Grand Army will look like Grand +Street, New York, when we get through with it.” + +“And frankfurters too!” Pee-wee shouted. + +“There won’t be a frankfurter left to tell the tale,” Harry said; “this +peaceful land will run red with red lemonade. Now what do you say?” + +Gee whiz, I wouldn’t accuse Harry of being a traitor, but just the same +I saw him wink at Major Grumpy, and Major Grumpy began to smile, and +then he offered Harry a cigarette. + +That was giving aid and comfort to the enemy, all right. + + + + + CHAPTER XXXVI—SCOUTS ON THE JOB + + +So that shows you how this story has a happy ending, only that isn’t the +end of it. Oh, boy, the worst is yet to come. A lot of terrible things +happen after a war. Now we come to the reconstruction period. And, +believe me, Major Grumpy reconstructed his opinion about the scouts. He +said that poor little patrol that was just starting could have the grove +to build a headquarters in and he gave them some money to build it, too, +He said that before we got there he thought that smoke away off on the +mountain was just a forest fire, but when he found out that we could +make smoke talk, good night, he was for us, all right. + +But anyway, he said he liked to hear Pee-wee talk better. I said, “Yes, +but it would be nice if he’d go off on a lonely mountain and talk, like +the smudge fire.” + +We spent the rest of that day at the Veterans’ Reunion, and we saw the +Uncle Tom’s Cabin show, too. Only one of the bloodhounds wouldn’t chase +Eliza, and Rossie Bent had to give her a frankfurter, so he’d chase her. + +Most of the time that we weren’t at the ice cream counter, we were over +in the grove with those Grumpy’s Cross-roads scouts. They said they were +going to name their patrol the Crows, after Brent Gaylong. Harry said it +would be better to name it the Hot Dogs, after Pee-wee. + +Once Major Grumpy came over and sat down on a stump and talked with us +and asked us a lot of questions about the scouts. He told those little +fellows how they ought to build their shack and he said he’d find a +scoutmaster for them. Most all the veterans came over and visited us, +and we did lots of good turns for them, carrying their luggage and all +like that. One of them was overcome by the heat but we fixed him up, all +right, with first aid. + +Uncle Tom came over, too, and talked to us between the shows. He asked +us if we could dress the marks that the ferocious bloodhounds made on +Eliza’s arm. Those marks were painted. He was awful funny, Uncle Tom +was. + +That reunion lasted three days, but we only stayed one day, because we +had to get started for home. Anyway, I’m glad all the soldiers in the +Civil War didn’t get killed, because you can have a lot of fun at +reunions. One thing I’m sorry for and that is that I won’t be a kid when +the soldiers who were in the World War are old veterans, I bet there’ll +be a lot of lemonade and things then, hey? But anyway there’ll be scouts +then, and it will be lucky for them there was a world war. Anyway, +reunions are my favorite outdoor sports—reunions and hikes. + + + + + CHAPTER XXXVII—THAT MYSTERIOUS PAPER AGAIN + + +We started away from that reunion at about five o’clock at night and +everybody was sorry to see us go. Those scouts, and the Uncle Tom’s +Cabin people, and a lot of old veterans, all crowded around us to say +good-by. They said we were a wide-awake bunch, but if they could have +seen us about four hours later they wouldn’t have said so. + +We made a camp alongside the road, and I cooked supper, and then most of +us slept in the van. While we were sitting around our camp-fire, Brent +took out that mysterious paper that he had found in the scarecrow’s +pocket, and he kind of winked at Harry as if he was going to spring a +great surprise on us. He looked awful funny in the light of the fire; +just like a real live scarecrow—I mean a dead one. + +He said, “Scouts of the victorious legion, while we are resting after +the bloody battle of Grumpy’s Cross-roads, I have a dark communication +to make to you. Excuse me while I get in a better light.” + +“I thought you said it was a _dark_ communication,” Pee-wee shouted. + +Brent said, “Well, it’s a kind of a dim communication. Only two scouts +and our trusty leader know about it. They have kept their lips sealed. I +wish now, by the light of this camp-fire, to ask you one and all, if you +are ready to undertake an enterprise that is fraught with mortal peril?” + +“Is it fraught with anything to eat?” Will Dawson wanted to know. + +“Isn’t mortal peril good enough for you?” Pee-wee shouted. + +Gee whiz, some fellows are never satisfied. + +Brent said, “Comrades, when I put an end to the career of that miserable +scarecrow and, with a single stroke, made millions of crows happy, I +found in the pocket of his frock-coat a mysterious paper. More than +that, I know who that frock-coat belonged to before he had it. It +belonged to Deacon Snookbeck of Barrow’s Homestead! _Ha, ha_,—and a +couple of _he, he’s_!” + +“Read the paper!” they all began shouting, + +He said, “Silence. While traveling with Scout Harris, and patrol leader +Blakeley, I met a stranger who told us that several years ago Deacon +Snookbeck had two mysterious visitors in his house. Whether this paper +that I am about to read to you has any connection with those strangers, +I cannot say. I am not skilled in high grade mysteries, being only a +plain, ordinary burglar and thug——” + +“You larcenied!” Pee-wee shouted. + +Brent put his hand on his forehead and said, awful funny, “Don’t remind +me of my crimes.” + +“Read the paper,” Rossie Bent said. + +So then Brent read the paper, and I have to admit that it sounded pretty +mysterious and I guess, after all his fooling, that he thought so +himself. + + Snake Creek, North shore from Ohio R. to Skeleton Cove. Top of S + Cove. Follow line due north from willow. Cons to west. Stake. + Measure ninety-two feet along north line, then follow line due + NW through T.W. Stake. Treasure at HW limit, indicated at AN + Stake. Follow S line south to pie. + +_Good night_, you should have heard the fellows when he finished +reading. I mean you couldn’t have heard them, because nobody said +anything; they all just sat there gaping. + +Then Brent said, awful funny, he said, “It seems, scouts, that by +following S line south we shall come to a pie. Whether it is a pumpkin +pie or a mince pie I cannot say——” + +Harry kind of cut him off short and said, “Brent, putting all fooling +aside, now that you read that paper over, it sounds pretty good to me.” + +“I was always fond of pie,” Brent said. + +Harry said, “Well, I was always fond of buried treasure and that paper +has the true ring to me, hanged if it hasn’t. Skeleton Cove sounds as if +it meant business. So does ‘_treasure at HW limit_’ I like the sound of +that. I never gave two thoughts to that paper until just now when you +read it, but I’m hanged if I don’t think it means something. What do you +say, Tom Slade?” + +Tom said in that slow way of his, “It’s got the word _treasure_ in, +that’s sure.” + +Then Brent said with a sober face, “As an expert, Pee-wee, what would +_you_ say? Is a pie a treasure?” + +“Good night,” I said, “he’s buried enough pies, he ought to know.” + +“It means buried treasure, that’s what it means!” Pee-wee shouted. “And +I’m with Harry; I say let’s go and find it.” + +“Where?” Brent said. + +“You said we could get a map,” the kid shouted. + +All the fellows were with Harry; they were just crazy to go after that +treasure. Tom Slade didn’t say much, but he never does. I went around to +the side of the fire where he was sitting and I said, “You were always +so crazy about adventures; what do you think it means if it doesn’t mean +buried treasure?” + +“I haven’t got anything to say,” he said; “it’s got the word treasure in +it, and that settles it. I say let’s go, if we can find the place.” + +I shouted, “Tom Slade is with us, he believes in it. I say let’s go +after it.” + +Harry was sitting on the back end of the van, swinging his legs and +looking in the fire. I knew his thoughts were kind of serious, all +right. He’s crazy about adventures, that fellow is. Brent took my scout +knife and held it between his teeth and glared into the fire, very +fierce and savage, just like a pirate. He did it to make Harry mad. But +all the fellows were with Harry, anyway, and they were all crazy about +the thing—even I was crazy. + +Harry said, all the while looking into the fire kind of dreamy like, he +said, “Brent, why may not this be true?” + +Brent said, “You mean the Pirates’ Secret or the Mystery of the Hidden +Pie?” + +“Don’t you mind him,” Pee-wee shouted to Harry; “he’s a Philippine!” + +“That’s just what you are, Brent,” Harry said; “you’re a Philistine. You +have no romance. Just because you live in the twentieth century you +think nothing can happen. But the world war happened, didn’t it? You +have it from a man you met that two mysterious strangers visited the old +gent who once owned that coat. You found this paper; in that +coat—didn’t you?” + +Brent said, “Alas, yes.” + +Harry said, “Well, you can laugh——” + +Brent said, “I’m not laughing, I’m weeping and gnashing my teeth; that’s +true sixteenth century stuff, isn’t it?” + +“Well, how do you explain the writing on that paper, then?” Harry wanted +to know. + +“Sure, how do you explain it, then?” Westy piped up. + +“He _can’t_ explain it,” Tom Warner shouted. + +“Sure he can’t!” Pee-wee yelled. + +Brent said, “I seem to have an overwhelming minority.” + +Harry said, “You’re always shouting about real adventures, but when we +stumble on the real thing, when we’re told on black and white to follow +a line due north from willow—what does that say?” + +“It says _follow a line due north from willow_,” Brent said, all the +while reading the paper. “It says _cons to the west_. It says _stake_; I +don’t know whether it’s a porterhouse or a sirloin. It may be a +Hamburger. It says by following the S line south we’ll come to the pie.” + +Harry jumped down and looked over Brent’s shoulder and he said, “What +does it say about the treasure? We’ll find it at HW limit—there it is +on black and white. Boys, we’ll get a map in Indianapolis and find out +where Snake Creek is if we have to study that map all night. We’re on +the track of pirates’ gold, by thunder! Here’s a _real adventure_ handed +to us by fate! If old Grouch Gaylong isn’t with us, we’ll send him home +in a baby carriage, that’s what!” + +Brent said—gee whiz, I had to laugh the way he said it; he said, +“Comrades, I will follow where you lead. Take me to the treasure and I +will dig it up. But if that scarecrow has deceived me, I will never +trust man again. As a criminal I have been a failure. I wanted to escape +from cruel jailers, I escaped from two boy scouts. I wanted to plunge +from the window of a dry goods van. I wanted to kill a fellow being; I +murdered a scarecrow. My life has been a failure.” + +Gee whiz; honest I almost felt sorry for him. + +He said, “But I have not lost hope. Boys, I will go with you. I will +follow the line north from the willow. I will measure ninety-two feet +along something-or-other. I will follow the S line south to the pie, be +it pumpkin, apple or mince. I will eat the stake. But if I am deceived, +if my hopes are again dashed——” + +“We’ll send you to the insane asylum,” Harry said; “that’s where you +belong.” + +Brent said, “I have always longed to be thrown into a mad-house.” + +Gee whiz, you can’t help laughing at that fellow. + + + + + CHAPTER XXXVIII—THE ONLY WAY + + +The next afternoon we got to Indianapolis and Harry treated us all to +sodas. Then we bought a map that showed the Ohio River. We made a camp +about ten miles east of Indianapolis and had a dandy camp-fire. While we +were there we studied the map and, good night, there was Snake Creek as +plain as day running into it from the north. It ran into it about +fifteen miles north of Wheeling. + +Harry said, “That’s enough for us; the treasure is ours.” + +Pee-wee said, “I’m sorry now we didn’t get some more sodas as long as +we’re going to be rich.” + +Harry said, “Never mind, we’ll have sodas and ice cream and things in +every town between here and Wheeling; I’ll advance the money. What are a +few dollars against maybe several millions?” + +Pee-wee said, “Sure, and we can afford some jaw-breakers, too.” + +“All you want,” Harry said. + +“Won’t it spoil our appetites for the pie?” Brent wanted to know. But +just the same he was interested. + +Now there’s no use telling you about our journey from Indianapolis to +Wheeling—that’s about eight or nine hundred miles, roughly speaking; +only scouts don’t speak roughly. They have to be polite. On that journey +we passed through Springfield and Columbus and a lot of other big +places, and all the people stared at us. Every night we camped in the +country, because we didn’t like staying in cities. + +Gee, I thought we’d never get to Wheeling but after a few days we got +there, and then we put our machines up to get all greased and have some +repairs made. I don’t mean _us_, I mean the machines. + +Then we hired a big launch and started up the Ohio River. About ten +miles up, Snake Creek flows into it. It flows in through the north +shore. Up Snake Creek about ten miles is Skeleton Cove, I bet you’re +getting awful anxious, hey? + +Harry said, “Boys, the fun isn’t in getting money; the fun is in finding +treasure. Why wouldn’t it be a good idea to send a couple of thousand, +say, to those little fellows back at Grumpy’s Cross-roads?” + +“Let’s give five thousand to the Boy Scout drive,” I said. + +Brent said, “All I want for myself is the pie; I’m hungry.” + +Now when we got to Skeleton Cove we saw it was all shady and spooky, +like. The water was black and the place was dark just like a cave. It +was awful still in there. I bet you’re crazy to know what comes next, +hey? + +Over against the shore was the wreck of an old motor-boat; I guess it +got smashed by the rocks there. We chugged over to where it was and Tom +Slade climbed out and stepped across it. + +Harry said, “What do you think it means, Tommy boy?” + +Tom was kneeling on the old deck and looking over the edge. All of a +sudden he said, “Now I know; I was a fool not to think of it before. The +name of this boat is the _Treasure_.” + +Harry said, “What?” + +I said, “What?” + +Will Dawson shouted, “On the level?” + +“On the bow,” Tom said. + +Pee-wee piped up, “What do you mean?” + +Brent said, “Dear me; foiled again.” + +Tom said, “Now I know what it means. The boys from the Geological Survey +were here. All that had me guessing was the word _treasure_. A pie is a +topographic mark; it shows where government land ends. Cons means +contours. They staked their measurings. They were just measuring this +cove and the creek so as to make government maps. T.W. means tide +water.” + +Harry said, awful funny like, “If it wouldn’t be asking too much, will +you please tell me what it means where it says, ‘Treasure at HW limit +indicated at AN stake.’ Can you answer that?” + +Tom said in that sober way of his, “I think it means something about +this boat, the _Treasure_ being at high water limit as indicated at +anchorage stake. I can’t tell just exactly what that memorandum means, +because I never worked in the survey, but I guess the survey boys +weren’t doing any harm out at Deacon Snookbeck’s. They were probably +lining up the contours on his farm. Anyway, all they were doing here was +taking the contours and the water lines for the government maps. The +only thing that puzzled me was the word treasure.” + +“And there is no pie here?” Brent said. + +“A pie is a government mark,” Tom said; “it means the government owns +the land to that point—where the pie is. See?” + +Oh, boy, Harry didn’t say a word. None of the rest of us said a +word—only Brent. + +He said, “Then I have been deceived by a scarecrow! This ends my quest +of adventure; I am through. I am going home and to the only refuge where +real adventure can be found—the movies. I am through with the boy +scouts. Perhaps with William S. Hart or Douglas Fairbanks I can find the +life I crave. There I can find cliffs to jump off, roofs to leap from, +people to kill who are worthy of being killed—not scarecrows——” + +“And floods to get caught in!” Pee-wee yelled. + +Brent said, “Yes, and jails to escape from——” + +“And ships to get wrecked in!” the kid shouted. + +“I know all about the movies I’ll go with you! I’ll go with you——” + +Gee whiz, but that kid is a scream. + + THE END + + + + + This Isn’t All! + + Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have + made in this book? + + Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventures + and experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the + same author? + + On the _reverse side_ of the wrapper which comes with this book, + you will find a wonderful list of stones which you can buy at + the same store where you got this book. + + Don’t throw away the Wrapper + + Use it as a handy analog of the books you want some day to have. + But in case you do mislay it, write to the Publishers for a + complete catalog. + + + + + THE ROY BLAKELEY BOOKS + + By PERCY KEESE FITZHUGH + + Author of “Tom Slade,” “Pee-wee Harris,” + “Westy Martin,” Etc. + + Illustrated. Picture Wrappers in Color. + + Every Volume Complete in Itself. + +In the character and adventures of Roy Blakeley are typified the very +essence of Boy life. He is a real boy, as real as Huck Finn and Tom +Sawyer. He is the moving spirit of the troop of Scouts of which he is a +member, and the average boy has to go only a little way in the first +book before Roy is the best friend he ever had, and he is willing to +part with his best treasure to get the next book in the series. + + ROY BLAKELEY + ROY BLAKELEY’S ADVENTURES IN CAMP + ROY BLAKELEY, PATHFINDER + ROY BLAKELEY’S CAMP ON WHEELS + ROY BLAKELEY’S SILVER FOX PATROL + ROY BLAKELEY’S MOTOR CARAVAN + ROY BLAKELEY, LOST, STRAYED OR STOLEN + ROY BLAKELEY’S BEE-LINE HIKE + ROY BLAKELEY AT THE HAUNTED CAMP + ROY BLAKELEY’S FUNNY BONE HIKE + ROY BLAKELEY’S TANGLED TRAIL + ROY BLAKELEY ON THE MOHAWK TRAIL + ROY BLAKELEY’S ELASTIC HIKE + ROY BLAKELEY’S ROUNDABOUT HIKE + + GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK + + + + + THE PEE-WEE HARRIS BOOKS + + By PERCY KEESE FITZHUGH + + Author of “Tom Slade,” “Roy Blakeley,” + “Westy Martin,” Etc. + + Illustrated. Individual Wrappers in Color. + + Every Volume Complete in Itself. + +All readers of the Tom Slade and the Roy Blakeley books are acquainted +with Pee-wee Harris. These stories record the true facts concerning his +size (what there is of it) and his heroism (such as it is), his voice, +his clothes, his appetite, his friends, his enemies, his victims. +Together with the thrilling narrative of how he foiled, baffled, +circumvented and triumphed over everything and everybody (except where +he failed) and how even when he failed he succeeded. The whole recorded +in a series of screams and told with neither muffler nor cut-out. + + PEE-WEE HARRIS + PEE-WEE HARRIS ON THE TRAIL. + PEE-WEE HARRIS IN CAMP + PEE-WEE HARRIS IN LUCK + PEE-WEE HARRIS ADRIFT + PEE-WEE HARRIS F. O. B. BRIDGEBORO + PEE-WEE HARRIS FIXER + PEE-WEE HARRIS: AS GOOD AS HIS WORD + PEE-WEE HARRIS: MAYOR FOR A DAY + PEE-WEE HARRIS AND THE SUNKEN TREASURE + + GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK + + + + + GARRY GRAYSON FOOTBALL STORIES + + By ELMER A. DAWSON + + Individual Colored Wrapper and Illustration by + + WALTER S. ROGERS + + Every Volume Complete in Itself + +Football followers all over the country will hail with delight this new +and thoroughly up-to-date line of gridiron tales. + +Garry Grayson is a football fan, first, last, and all the time. But more +than that, he is a wideawake American boy with a “gang” of chums almost +as wideawake as himself. + +How Garry organized the first football eleven his grammar school had, +how he later played on the High School team, and what he did on the Prep +School gridiron and elsewhere, is told in a manner to please all readers +and especially those interested in watching a rapid forward pass, a +plucky tackle, or a hot run for a touchdown. + +Good, clean football at its best—and in addition, rattling stories of +mystery and schoolboy rivalries. + + GARRY GRAYSON’S HILL STREET ELEVEN; + or, The Football Boys of Lenox. + + GARRY GRAYSON AT LENOX HIGH; + or, The Champions of the Football League. + + GARRY GRAYSON’S FOOTBALL RIVALS; + or, The Secret of the Stolen Signals. + + GARRY GRAYSON SHOWING HIS SPEED; + or, A Daring Run on the Gridiron. + + GARRY GRAYSON AT STANLEY PREP; + or, The Football Rivals of Riverview. + + GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK + + + + + THE TOM SLADE BOOKS + + By PERCY KEESE FITZHUGH + + Author of “Roy Blakeley,” “Pee-wee Harris,” + “Westy Martin,” Etc. + + Illustrated. Individual Picture Wrappers in Color. + + Every Volume Complete in Itself. + +“Let your boy grow up with Tom Slade,” is a suggestion which thousands +of parents have followed during the past, with the result that the TOM +SLADE BOOKS are the most popular boys’ books published today. They take +Tom Slade through a series of typical boy adventures through his +tenderfoot days as a scout, through his gallant days as an American +doughboy in France, back to his old patrol and the old camp ground at +Black Lake, and so on. + + TOM SLADE, BOY SCOUT + TOM SLADE AT TEMPLE CAMP + TOM SLADE ON THE RIVER + TOM SLADE WITH THE COLORS + TOM SLADE ON A TRANSPORT + TOM SLADE WITH THE BOYS OVER THERE + TOM SLADE, MOTORCYCLE DISPATCH BEARER + TOM SLADE WITH THE FLYING CORPS + TOM SLADE AT BLACK LAKE + TOM SLADE ON MYSTERY TRAIL + TOM BLADE’S DOUBLE DARE + TOM SLADE ON OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN + TOM SLADE PICKS A WINNER + TOM SLADE AT BEAR MOUNTAIN + TOM SLADE: FOREST RANGER + TOM SLADE IN THE NORTH WOODS + + GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK + + + + + Jerry Todd and Poppy Ott Series + + BY LEO EDWARDS + + Durably Bound. Illustrated. Individual Colored Wrappers. + + Every Volume Complete in Itself. + +Hundreds of thousands of boys who laughed until their sides ached over +the weird and wonderful adventures of Jerry Todd and his gang demanded +that Leo Edwards, the author, give them more books like the Jerry Todd +stories with their belt-bursting laughs and creepy shivers. So he took +Poppy Ott, Jerry Todd’s bosom chum and created the Poppy Ott Series, and +if such a thing could be possible—they arc even more full of fun and +excitement than the Jerry Todds. + + THE POPPY OTT SERIES + + POPPY OTT AND THE STUTTERING PARROT + POPPY OTT AND THE SEVEN LEAGUE STILTS + POPPY OTT AND THE GALLOPING SNAIL + POPPY OTT’S PEDIGREED PICKLES + + THE JERRY TODD BOOKS + + JERRY TODD AND THE WHISPERING MUMMY + JERRY TODD AND THE ROSE-COLORED CAT + JERRY TODD AND THE OAK ISLAND TREASURE + JERRY TODD AND THE WALTZING HEN + JERRY TODD AND THE TALKING FROG + JERRY TODD AND THE PURRING EGG + JERRY TODD IN THE WHISPERING CAVE + + GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK + + + + + Football and Baseball Stories + + Durably Bound. Illustrated. Individual Colored Wrappers. + + Every Volume Complete in Itself. + +THE RALPH HENRY BARBOUR BOOKS FOR BOYS + +In these up-to-the-minute, spirited genuine stories of boy life there is +something which will appeal to every boy with love of manliness, +cleanness and sportsmanship in his heart. + + LEFT END EDWARDS + LEFT TACKER THAYER + LEFT GUARD GILBERT + CENTER RUSH ROWLAND + FULLBACK FOSTER + LEFT HALF HARMON + RIGHT END EMERSON + RIGHT GUARD GRANT + QUARTERBACK BATES + RIGHT TACKLE TODD + RIGHT HALF ROLLINS + +THE CHRISTY MATHEWSON BOOKS FOR BOYS + +Every boy wants to know how to play ball in the fairest and squarest +way. These books about boys and baseball are full of wholesome and manly +interest and information. + + PITCHER POLLOCK + CATCHER CRAIG + FIRST BASE FAULKNER + SECOND BASE SLOAN + PITCHING IN A PINCH + + THIRD BASE THATCHER, By Everett Scott + GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK + + + + + THE FLYAWAYS STORIES + + By ALICE DALE HARDY + + Author of The Riddle Club Books + + Individual Colored Jackets and Colored Illustrations by + WALTER S. ROGERS + +A splendid new line of interesting tales for the little ones, +introducing many of the well known characters of fairyland in a series +of novel adventures. The Flyaways are a happy family and every little +girl and boy will want to know all about them. + +THE FLYAWAYS AND CINDERELLA + + How the Flyaways went to visit Cinderella only to find that + Cinderella’s Prince had been carried off by the Three Robbers, + Rumbo, Hibo and Jobo. “I’ll rescue him!” cried Pa Flyaway and + then set out for the stronghold of the robbers. A splendid + continuation of the original story of Cinderella. + +THE FLYAWAYS AND LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD + + On their way to visit Lillte Red Riding Hood the Flyaways fell + in with Tommy Tucker and The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. They + told Tommy about the Magic Button on Red Riding Hood’s cloak. + How the wicked Wolf stole the Magic Button and how the wolves + plotted to eat up Little Red Riding Hood and all her family, and + how the Flyaways and King Cole lent the wolves flying, makes a + story no children will want to miss. + +THE FLYAWAYS AND GOLDILOCKS + + The Flyaways wanted to see not only Goldilocks but also the + Three Bears and then took a remarkable journey through the air + to do so. Tommy even rode on a Rocket and met the monstrous Blue + Frog. When they arrived at Goldilock’s house they found that the + Three Bears had been there before them and mussed everything up, + mich to Goldilock’s despair. “We must drive those bears out of + the country!” said Pa Flyaway. Then they journeyed underground + to the Yellow Palace, and oh! so many things happened after + that! + + GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK + + + + + THE TOM SWIFT SERIES + + By VICTOR APPLETON + + Uniform Style of Binding. Individual Colored Wrappers. + + Every Volume Complete in Itself + +Every boy possesses some form of inventive genius. Tom Swift is a +bright, ingenious boy and his inventions and adventures make the most +interesting kind of reading. + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP + TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE + TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS + TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER + TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE + TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER + TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY + TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA + TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON + TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP + TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL + TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS + TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH + TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS + TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS FLYING BOAT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER + TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS + + GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK + + + + + THE DON STURDY SERIES + + By VICTOR APPLETON + + Individual Colored Wrappers and Text Illustrations by + + WALTER S. ROGERS + + Every Volume Complete in Itself + +In company with his uncles, one a mighty hunter and the other a noted +scientist, Don Sturdy travels far and wide, gaining much useful +knowledge and meeting many thrilling adventures. + +DON STURDY ON THE DESERT OF MYSTERY + + An engrossing tale of the Sahara Desert, of encounters with wild + animals and crafty Arabs. + +DON STURDY WITH THE BIG SNAKE HUNTERS + + Don’s uncle, the hunter, took an order for some of the biggest + snakes to be found in South America—to be delivered alive! + +DON STURDY IN THE TOMBS OF GOLD + + A fascinating tale of exploration and adventure in the Valley of + Kings in Egypt. + +DON STURDY ACROSS THE NORTH POLE + + A great polar blizzard nearly wrecks the airship of the + explorers. + +DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF VOLCANOES + + An absorbing tale of adventures among the volcanoes of Alaska. + +DON STURDY IN THE PORT OF LOST SHIPS + + This story is just full of exciting and fearful experiences on + the sea. + +DON STURDY AMONG THE GORILLAS + + A thrilling story of adventure in darkest Africa. Don is carried + over a mighty waterfall into the heart of gorilla land. + + GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK + + + + + THE RADIO BOYS SERIES + + By ALLEN CHAPMAN + + Author of the “Railroad Series,” Etc. + + Individual Colored Wrappers. Illustrated. + + Every Volume Complete in Itself + +A new series for boys giving full details of radio work, both in sending +and receiving—telling how small and large amateur sets can be made and +operated, and how some boys got a lot of fun and adventure out of what +they did. Each volume from first to last is so thoroughly fascinating, +so strictly up-to-date and accurate, we feel sure all lads will peruse +them with great delight. + +Each volume has a Foreword by Jack Binns, the well-known radio expert. + + THE RADIO BOYS’ FIRST WIRELESS + THE RADIO BOYS AT OCEAN POINT + THE RADIO BOYS AT THE SENDING STATION + THE RADIO BOYS AT MOUNTAIN PASS + THE RADIO BOYS TRAILING A VOICE + THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE FOREST RANGERS + THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE ICEBERG PATROL + THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE FLOOD FIGHTERS + THE RADIO BOYS ON SIGNAL ISLAND + THE RADIO BOYS IN GOLD VALLEY + + GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Roy Blakeley's Motor Caravan, by +Percy Keese Fitzhugh + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44172 *** |