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diff --git a/old/65084-0.txt b/old/65084-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3e3e228..0000000 --- a/old/65084-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4906 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Boy Scout Pathfinders, by Robert Maitland - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: The Boy Scout Pathfinders - Or, Jack Danby's Best Adventure - - -Author: Robert Maitland - - - -Release Date: April 14, 2021 [eBook #65084] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOY SCOUT PATHFINDERS*** - - -E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Susan Carr, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net) - - - -Transcriber’s note: - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). - - - - -Boy Scout Series Volume 6 - -THE BOY SCOUT PATHFINDERS - -Or - -Jack Danby’s Best Adventure - -by - -MAJOR ROBERT MAITLAND - -C - - - - - - -The Saalfield Publishing Company -Chicago Akron, Ohio New York - -Copyright 1912 -by -The Saalfield Publishing Co. - - - - - CONTENTS - - - PAGE - I HO! FOR THE ADIRONDACKS 3 - II THE LOGGING CAMP 12 - III THE OLD SNAKE HUNTER 26 - IV THE FIGHT 35 - V THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY 42 - VI THE PLOT 50 - VII TRAPPED IN THE CAVE 58 - VIII THE BOY SCOUTS TO THE FORE 66 - IX DICK CRAWFORD GIVES WARNING 77 - X “BUSY AS BEAVERS” 87 - XI THE BOG 100 - XII OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE 108 - XIII THE BROKEN TRESTLE 117 - XIV THE SAVING OF THE TRAIN 124 - XV A STRANGE DUEL 132 - XVI TOO LATE! 139 - XVII JACK’S RUN FOR LIFE 148 - XVIII BALKED OF THEIR PREY 154 - - - - - The Boy Scout Pathfinders - - - - - CHAPTER I - - HO! FOR THE ADIRONDACKS - - -“Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!” clashed the great bell -on the locomotive, and with much creaking and clanking and letting -off of steam, with iron scraping on iron and one last, long drawn -whistle of the air-brakes, the train came slowly to a stop. - -As if vying with the locomotive to see which could make the greater -noise, a score or more of khaki-clad boys came tumbling to the -platform of the little mountain station, amid whoops and cat-calls -and shouts of, “Here we are!” “Hurrah for the Adirondacks!” “Say, -fellows, this is the backwoods and no mistake!” - -And then in rapid succession came the further inquiries: - -“Which way do we go? Up this road?” - -“See that big rock away down there? I’ll race you to it!” - -The big collie Don, not to be behindhand when there was any noise or -capering to be done, and more glad than anyone else to be released -from the many hours of close confinement in that awful baggage car, -ran wildly about, darting in and out between the boys’ feet, at the -imminent danger of upsetting the whole procession, and added his -joyful bark to the general noise and confusion. - -A couple of boys did go down, but were at once on their feet and -after Don, who--knowing and wise dog that he was!--understood well -that his pursuers were his loyal friends, as he was theirs, and felt -no fear, but ran and doubled, and ran on again, treating it all as -the very best kind of a joke. - -A half hour of racing and tearing to given points and back again, -and impromptu games of leapfrog and follow my leader gave vent to -the bubbling spirits held in check during the long journey and the -Scouts, once more looking like self-controlled boys instead of -cavorting wild Indians, settled down to a walk. - -This was the opportunity for which Mr. Durland had been waiting to -discuss plans for the season’s camp. - -The call to camp had been sent out so late that most of the Scouts -knew little beside the location and duration of the camp; and now -Scout-Master Durland proceeded to enlighten them. - -Late in the autumn of the previous year Mr. Scott, a very -wealthy gentleman, had purchased a large section of land in the -Adirondacks--many, many acres of ground, nearly a whole county, in -fact. - -As it was late in the season, he had been forced to postpone the -inspection and surveying of the tract until the next year, but in -order to be ready early in the summer, he had had a stout log house -erected, to serve as a shelter for whomever should be sent out for -the survey, and after that as a temporary hunting lodge until a -larger and more elaborate one should be built. - -Mr. Scott and the Scout-Master were warm friends, and knowing the -proposed plans for the new lands, Mr. Durland had suggested making -the work the object of the Boy Scouts’ summer camp. Mr. Scott, a firm -believer and warm advocate of the Boy Scout movement, had readily -consented. - -Because there was more or less danger in this region of encountering -a bear, or even a wildcat, and as a rattlesnake was not altogether an -impossibility, it was thought advisable to use the lodge as sleeping -quarters instead of the usual tents or lean-tos. A large shack would -have to be built for a mess tent, and a place to store provisions. - -This tract of newly purchased land was in a section uninhabited for -a distance of many miles around, as far as had been ascertained. The -county town was twelve miles away--not too far for an occasional -trip for provisions, but as the mountain roads were steep and rough, -making the going very difficult, an unusual amount and variety of -provisions had been sent with the Troop. One or possibly two trips -during the season would be all that would be necessary to keep the -camp well stocked. - -So much for the camp-building and welfare. Now for an explanation of -the work laid out for the Scouts by Mr. Scott. - -They were to be pathfinders in this hitherto almost totally -unexplored region. They were to locate springs, brooks, streams, -lakes, perhaps rivers; note the kinds of fish to be found in these -waters and in what numbers; make lists of the different trees, birds -and animals to be found upon it, and to group and classify them. -They were to ascertain the nature of the soil in different sections, -explore by-paths, and outline the best and safest and shortest routes -to the section where any desired water or soil or bird or animal was -to be found. - -Beside all this, they were to become so familiar with the country for -five miles around the camp as to be able to guide any person at any -time, day or night. - -A great work, surely, and one which, if well and satisfactorily -handled, might well cause any boy’s heart to leap with pride. - -The Scouts, sober enough now, had listened with absorbed interest to -all that Mr. Durland had said. At the mention of bears and bobcats, -every boy had felt his heart thrill. Was there a possibility of a -real encounter with one of these animals which, when seen even in -the zoo, had been terrifyingly fierce? Mr. Durland had said that the -possibility was so small that it was hardly worth considering, but -that there was even the faintest chance was enough to make your heart -beat faster. - -However, when he spoke so earnestly of the great work outlined for -them, and showed the eager Scouts what splendid opportunities for -mental growth it would open to them, and what a part this knowledge -they were sure to gain would play in their future success in life, -each Scout determined to do his very best and to make the most of -every opportunity. - -So, at last, just at high noon, they came to the place where they -were to pitch their new camp, and again the excitement broke out. - -Catching sight of the log house or lodge, with one accord they made -for it, and in a great deal less time than it takes to tell it, every -nook and corner of that house was explored. - -They saw with satisfaction that the building was very strong, and -that the many windows, beside being set with very thick glass, were -provided with perforated shutters of inch-thick solid oak wood, -closing from the inside. Ben Hoover expressed the general sentiment -when he said, “Those shutters certainly look good to me!” - -Mr. Durland’s voice reminded them that if everything was to be made -shipshape in the new camp before nightfall, there was no time now to -play, and from that moment the camp was a busy scene. - -The two Scouts who were detailed as cooks were soon busy making -a small fireplace on which to cook their dinner. Placing three -stones together, they laid between them some whittled shavings for -kindlings, applied a match and, as the fire commenced to burn, they -placed over it some twigs and dry wood, quantities of which lay -scattered about, and soon had a fine fire over which to place their -frying-pan. - -In the meantime the hamper was opened and when, in shorter time than -you could have thought possible, the call to dinner was sounded, -everyone came running. No one needed a second call, and the way that -bacon and crisp fried potatoes and cornbread disappeared was a marvel. - -Dinner over, one small squad was detailed to unpack, while all the -rest were pressed into service to build the mess shack. This was -finished by five o’clock, and then each Scout gathered branches of -the fragrant balsam and hemlock for his bed. Over these he spread his -rubber blanket, and over that his sleeping blanket, and he had a bed -soft and springy and comfortable enough for a king. - -Everything being in first-class order at last, and ready for the -night, a tired, hungry lot of boys gathered around the supper table. -As they ate they talked of their impressions of the new camp site, -eagerly discussed the probable adventures they would have, and then -someone asked Scout-Master Durland what kind of animals they would be -likely to find here. - -Mr. Durland smiled and said he would rather they would find that out -for themselves. - -“Well,” said Jack Danby, “from what I have read, I am dead sure there -is one little animal who lives up here whose acquaintance I shall be -very glad to make.” - -“What is that?” eagerly asked Bob Hart. - -“The otter,” replied Jack. - -“Oh,” said Bob, disappointedly, “there’s nothing so very interesting -about an otter!” - -“Perhaps,” said Jack, smiling, “after you have had a chance to see -him in his home and at work, you will change your mind. I know you -will, for he is one of the most interesting of animals. In certain -parts of England, especially near rivers, there used to be a great -many otters, and some of the fishermen trained them to catch fish for -them.” - -“Say, Jack, you really don’t believe that, do you?” said incredulous -Bob. - -“I have to believe it if it is true,” said Jack. - -“How can they be trained to do that?” asked Tom Binns. - -“Well,” explained Jack, “it is something like this. A string was tied -about the otter’s neck in a sort of slip-knot that could be lightened -when the trainer wished. Then the trainer would say, ‘Come here!’ and -pull on the string, so that the otter would be drawn toward him. - -“This was done several times, until the otter connected the action -with the words, and then the string was dropped and he came -obediently without it at the words of command. - -“Next a small, artificial fish was made and placed on the ground -before the otter, the string pulled until he opened his mouth, when -the fish was placed in it, while at the same moment the words, ‘Take -it!’ were uttered. It would be a long time before he would learn to -do this, but when he did, the string was again used while he had the -fish in his mouth and the command, ‘Drop it!’ was given. - -“At last he learned to obey these two commands without the use of -the string. Then he was taken to the edge of the water and a small, -dead fish thrown in and the command given him to take it. He at once -seized it, and at the word, ‘Drop it!’ yielded it to his master. - -“Next live fishes were thrown in, and when he had brought them, the -heads were given to him as his reward, and the little fisherman was -always ready for his work. In fact, one entire family was supplied -with food for a long time in this way.” - -The result of this story was to make all the Scouts wish that they -might have a chance to make Mr. Otter’s acquaintance. - -As everybody was very tired, it was decided to make no camp-fire -that night, so after the roll-call all were glad to throw themselves -upon their beds of fragrant balsam. They found them deliciously -comfortable, and many a tired New York millionaire, tossing -sleeplessly on his luxurious couch, might have envied these sturdy -Scouts as they sank at once into the sleep that is the reward of -a healthy body, a clear conscience, and muscles tired with honest -effort. - -Once in the night Mr. Durland was aroused by a sleep-bound voice -asking, “Are those shutters closed? There might be a bear!” But no -bear more formidable than Ursa Major peeped through the holes of -the shutters, and sweet, restful sleep held the tired Scouts in her -embrace. - - - - - CHAPTER II - - THE LOGGING CAMP - - -The Scouts arose early the next day, in order to be able to march -during the cool morning hours, and so escape the torrid middle part -of the day, which is especially hot during the short northern summer. - -But although hot after the sun is up, the nights seem all the colder -by contrast. Fortunately, the Scout-Master had foreseen this and had -provided for it by insisting that each Scout carry a warm woolen -blanket. To many of the boys this had seemed a waste of energy at the -time. Who on earth could want a blanket at that time of the year, -they argued. - -The first night in camp, however, proved the wisdom of Mr. Durland’s -course, and they were glad enough to wrap their blankets around and -around them and lie close to each other for the sake of warmth. - -Ben Hoover expressed the general feeling when he said, “We must all -be crazy with the heat, I think. By this time we ought to realize -that Mr. Durland knows what he is talking about.” - -It had been arranged that today they would make a visit to a logging -camp which lay about five miles in a westerly direction from their -camp. - -All the Scouts were eager to see the lumber camp, and so stepped off -smartly at the word of command from Scout-Master Durland. If left to -themselves, most boys would probably have run the first part of the -way, but these Scouts knew that five miles through the woods on such -a day as this promised to be was not any laughing matter, so they -went along slowly. - -This did not suit Don, but he submitted with good grace, like the -Scout and gentleman he was. He usually traveled about three miles to -every one that the boys made, anyway, darting off on his own doggish -errands and returning with a wise look on his face. Whatever anyone -else thought, he evidently considered his expeditions of the utmost -importance. - -Today, however, he restrained his exuberant feelings, and walked -along sedately with the rest of his Troop, his magnificent brush -waving slowly from side to side. Even when a squirrel darted across -the path, he curbed his ardent desire to chase it, and Jack petted -him lovingly on the head. - -“You’re just as good a Scout as any of us, aren’t you, old boy?” he -asked. “Even if you haven’t taken the Scout oath, I know well enough -that you would if you could. When it comes right down to having good -principles, I guess you are as good as any of us!” - -“Perhaps you’re right,” said Mr. Durland, who had overheard the last -part of his remark. “If every man had as good and upright instincts -as that dog, the world would be a better place than it is now.” - -Jack saluted, and said respectfully, “Yes, sir, I guess it would.” - -It seemed no time after that until they were surprised to come -suddenly upon an opening in the woods, and Mr. Durland said, smiling, -“Well, Scouts, we have arrived! While you are here, I want you to -keep your eyes and ears open, and learn all you can about logging. -Everything you see will be interesting, so I have no doubt you will -have a good time. Remember, we are to make a report on what we see, -so we want to be on the job. Now, forward, march!” - -The Scouts defiled out into the open, and started down the rough path -toward the camp. This was situated at the bottom of a hollow, where -it was sheltered somewhat from the wintry blasts. - -As the Scouts approached, they saw that it was composed of two rough -log buildings, one considerably larger than the other. The larger -structure was the bunk house, where the lumberjacks ate and slept, -and the smaller one was the cook house, or kitchen. - -As the boys came nearer, they could see the cook’s helper, or cookee, -as he was called, standing outside the door, washing an immense pile -of dishes. He was engaged in a hot argument with the cook, who was a -peppery little French Canadian. - -“What you tink, by gar?” the latter was shouting as they got within -hearing distance. “You tink I am goin’ to cook for dees here bunch of -hungry pigs, an’ den help you wash dishes, also? Mon Dieu! What you -take me for--what you call zee easy mark?” - -“There, there, Frenchy, keep your hair on!” replied the cookee, a -red-headed lad about the same age as the Scouts, and then added, -with an exasperating grin, “If I couldn’t cook anything better than -the sour dough biscuits and the sinkers you turn out, I’d be ashamed -to take the boss’s good money! Why don’t you get a job in New York -driving an ash cart? You’d look nifty in one of them white uniforms, -and then you wouldn’t have a chance to kill off any more poor -lumbermen with your bum grub! That’s what I’d do if I was you!” - -This seemed to drive the excitable Frenchman nearly frantic. - -“Pig! Dog! Vile one!” he screamed. “Is it zat you would mock me, -child of ze gutter?” - -The grinning boy appeared to take pleasure in teasing the peppery -cook, and finally the latter seemed to go quite mad with rage. He -grasped a huge wooden spoon from a table beside the door, and -made a clumsy rush at his assistant. The nimble boy easily eluded -him, however, but once or twice let the cook get so near him that -the little man felt encouraged to keep up the chase in the hope of -finally catching him. At last his breath gave out, and he came to a -standstill and shook his fist wildly in futile rage. - -“That’s right, Frenchy, fan the air all you please,” shouted the -evidently delighted youngster. “It does you good, and doesn’t hurt -me, so we’re both happy.” - -“Wait, wait, zat is all!” gurgled the cook, his face purple. “Soon -ze boss, he will come back, and zen you will see, little devil! He -will--what you call it? Make ze punching bag of you! Who will be -happy zen? I will laugh at you, so, ha-ha!” - -“Go ahead, laugh, old boy, it will ease your mind!” said the boy, -whom the cook had so aptly described. “It may save you from having -apoplexy and croaking. Fat old guys like you often go off just like -that!” and he grinned and snapped his fingers. - -The outraged cook could think of nothing to say to this crowning -insult, and retired into his shack, muttering a string of variegated -profanity. After a short interval the boy returned to his -dish-washing, but kept a wary eye on the door, prepared to cut and -run at the first sign of danger. - -The Boy Scouts had been interested spectators of this scene, and now -Mr. Durland stepped up to the boy who had been the cause of all the -trouble, and said, “Can you tell me, my lad, where I can find the -foreman, if he is in camp?” - -“The boss is away just now,” replied the boy, civilly enough. “Wot’s -yer business with him? Shall I tell him you were here?” - -“That depends on when he will be back,” replied Mr. Durland. “Do you -think he will be here soon? If so, we will wait for him.” - -“I guess he will, if you want to see him bad enough to wait,” -answered the boy. He seemed willing enough to oblige, and Mr. Durland -felt sure that he was not a really bad boy, although it is safe to -say that the cook would not have agreed with him. - -“Who’s them guys with you?” asked the boy, but with a note of respect -in his voice that was seldom heard there. - -“That is a Troop of three Patrols of Boy Scouts,” explained Mr. -Durland. - -“Boy Scouts?” echoed the boy. “I knew a feller once who was a Boy -Scout, and he said it was nifty to be one. He said I could be one, -too, if I wanted to, and I did, but I thought he was just kidding me. -How is a guy like me, what can’t even talk straight, goin’ to be a -Boy Scout?” - -“There’s no reason on earth why you shouldn’t be one, if you really -desire it,” said Mr. Durland, kindly. “You can soon learn to ‘talk -straight,’ as you call it, and once you have taken the Scout oath, -everything else will come of itself.” - -The Scout-Master then went on to explain just what being a Boy Scout -meant, and the boy listened attentively. When he spoke about the -Scout oath, the boy inquired: - -“Just what is the oath, mister?” - -“It is the oath that every boy desiring to become a Scout must take, -and once having done so, he must stick to it through thick and thin,” -explained Mr. Durland. - -“Well, I know now that I will want to join, but could I have a little -time to think it over?” inquired Harry, for so his name proved to be. - -“Why, surely!” replied Mr. Durland, cordially. “We wouldn’t hurry -you in your decision for a moment. We will be in the camp off and on -quite a while, and you can let me know of your decision at any time -that suits you best. Just take your time, my boy, and think it over.” - -“I will, sir,” replied Harry, gratefully, and turned again to his -seemingly endless task. - -The Scout-Master rejoined the boys, and they all started on an -inspection of the camp. As they walked, Mr. Durland told Jack and -Dick Crawford about what the red-haired boy had said, and they were -as pleased as he over the prospect of gaining a new Scout, when -in this part of the country nothing had been further from their -thoughts. - -The clearing in which the logging camp was situated covered several -acres, and was hemmed in closely by giant trees. Some of these had -already been nicked by the woodcutter’s axe, which marked them as the -next victims to the demands of advancing civilization. - -Not far from the camp ran a river, or at least what was a river at -certain seasons of the year, though now it was little more than a -large brook. The boys could hear it murmuring through the trees, and -suddenly Tom Binns said: - -“Say, fellows, I wonder if there’s any place around here that we -could take a swim? It’s getting pretty hot, and I for one feel as if -a good swim would do me all sorts of good.” - -There was a general shout of approval, and the Scout-Master said, -“Why don’t you see if you can discover a pool of some kind?” - -This was no sooner said than done, and the boys, accompanied by Don, -were plunging pell-mell through the underbrush in the direction of -the river. Soon they emerged on the bank of the stream, and after -their hot run the thought of a plunge in the cool, shady river was -pleasant indeed. - -Running along the bank, they discovered a place where a fallen forest -giant had formed a natural dam, and the water was several feet deep. -It was not two minutes before every Scout was in the pool, and oh, -how grateful the cool, clear water felt! They splashed around, and -in one place the better swimmers found it deep enough for diving. - -“Say, isn’t this a bully place?” shouted Jack. - -“Bet your sweet life it is!” shouted one. - -“I just guess yes!” agreed another. - -Mr. Durland remained on the bank with Don beside him. He could see -that the dog wanted to jump in with the boys, but felt that he ought -not to leave the Scout-Master alone. So Mr. Durland picked up a dry -stick and, showing it to Don, said, “Here, boy, fetch it back!” and -threw it into the stream. - -In three bounds Don had reached the brink of the pool and dashed in, -covering the boys with spray. In less time than it takes to tell, he -had grasped the stick in his strong, white teeth, and clambered up -the bank. - -Pausing only long enough to give himself a shake, which sent a -miniature shower into the air, he ran proudly up to the Scout-Master -and dropped the stick at his feet. Mr. Durland patted his wet head -approvingly, and this performance was repeated several times, much -to the delight of both boys and dog. When it came to swimming, Don -could beat any of them, and the water seemed almost to be his natural -element. - -But time was passing, and at last the boys had to climb out -reluctantly and dress. - -“Gee,” said Bob Hart, “we’ll have to try to get down here as often as -we can,” and this sentiment was heartily echoed by the others. - -They now proceeded to the camp, and when they reached there found -that the foreman, Mr. Flannigan, had arrived a few minutes before. - -Mr. Durland introduced himself, and handed the foreman a letter from -Mr. Scott. With many grimaces and mutterings Mr. Flannigan finally -deciphered the letter and, looking up, remarked: - -“Shure, an’ Mr. Scott says as how yer all right, an’ by the same -token, whativer Mr. Scott says goes around here, him bein’ the boss. -What kin I be doin’ fur ye, sir?” - -“Why, nothing very much,” answered Mr. Durland with a smile. “We are -commissioned by Mr. Scott, as he no doubt tells you in his letter, to -get the lay of the land around here and make a report to him. While -we were about it, I thought it would be a good chance to give my -Troop some idea of what a logging camp is like.” - -“Shure, an’ it’s glad I’ll be to do what I kin fur yez,” said -Flannigan, scratching his head. “But, bedad, it’s a poor time o’ the -year to see a loggin’ camp. Most of the brave b’ys is in town or -scattered around further north. At this time o’ the year ’tis little -we do besides nickin’ the trees for the fall cut. Howiver, if I’m not -mistaken, here come the b’ys now fur supper, an’ if ye don’t mind -rough table manners, we’ll soon have a bite to eat. Here, cook!” as -that individual bustled past, “set up an extra table in the bunk -house for the b’ys here. More’s the pity, it’s not much we’ve got to -offer ye, but such as it is, there’s never any lack, and I guess ye -kin make out.” - -By this time the lumbermen had arrived at the house, and the boys -thought they had never seen a stronger or more healthy set of men. -The sun had tanned their bearded faces to a deep brown hue, and as -they dropped their heavy axes into a corner, it was easy to see that -each one was as strong as two ordinary men. - -They all muttered a “How d’ye do” to Mr. Durland, and took their -seats around the rough table in silence. - -Obedient to instructions, the cook had stretched a wide plank between -two barrels, and this served Mr. Durland and his Troop as a table. -The boys were not in a mood to be critical, and so long as they got -something to eat, did not care much what kind of a table it was -served on. - -Harry, the red-headed cookee, now entered, bearing a huge platter -of steaming beans. This was followed by other dishes of biscuits, -doughnuts and great cups of black coffee. - -The lumbermen fell to with a rush, and it was wonderful to see the -way in which the eatables vanished. They ate like famished wolves, -and the Scouts, hungry as they were, almost forgot to eat, and could -only stare at the spectacle and wonder how the men ever did it. - -However, you may be sure that their own hunger soon asserted itself, -and, as Ben Hoover expressed it, they began to “feed their faces.” - -The food was very good in its way, and the boys made a hearty meal. -The lumberjacks, however, were through almost before the Scouts had -begun, and had gone outside, there to smoke their pipes and swap -yarns of perils by wood and water. - -Soon the boys followed them, and ranged themselves on the grass, -listening to the whoppers that the inventive men told. It must be -admitted that most of the yarns had some foundation of truth, but -on this had been reared an elaborate structure of events that had -happened only in the imagination of the man telling the story. - -After a while they started singing a rough lumberman’s song, and some -of the boys joined in the chorus. Tom’s clear, piercing voice rang -out above the thunderous bass of the men like foam on the crest of -the wave, and when they had finished, the men gazed at him admiringly. - -“That there kid,” said one great, bearded fellow, who at one time had -been a cowboy on the western plains, “is sure goin’ to be some shakes -as a singer when he grows up. I bet he’ll be in opry some o’ these -days. I knew a feller on the Panhandle as could sing like that oncet, -but he _would_ borrow hosses as didn’t belong to him, and so we all -strung him up one fine mornin’. It sure seemed a shame to strangle -that voice of his’n, but it had to be did.” - -He gazed meditatively out over the tops of the trees, and a big -fellow called Pete said: - -“Say, boy, why don’t you bane give us a song?” - -Tom was about to refuse, when Mr. Durland said, “Go ahead, Tom. Sing -_My Old Kentucky Home_, won’t you?” - -Thus encouraged, Tom drew a deep breath and started the Southern song. - -In the hush of the great north woods, his wonderful voice floated out -in liquid melody, and the men sat entranced. Visions of childhood -days, when they had sat at some distant fireside, came up before -them, and more than one hardened “scrapper” felt a lump rise in his -throat and his eyes grow moist. - -As the song was finished there was a short silence, and then someone -said in a husky voice: “Say, kid, that was great! I’ll bet your -father is proud of you. I would be, if I was your dad! Sing some -more, will yuh?” - -Tom sang song after song, until it was almost dark, and the Scouts -were forced to leave. - -All the men followed the boys to the edge of the clearing, and here -they parted. - -“Youse b’ys has given us an iligant evenin’, bedad, and it’s us that -thanks ye, although we can’t do it in none of them flowin’ speeches -like the poetry fellers does. All we kin say is as how we hope ye’ll -come early and often, and stay late.” - -There was a hearty chorus of, “We sure will!” and “Much obliged, Mr. -Flannigan!” from the boys, and as Mr. Durland shook hands with the -boss of the camp, he said: - -“We certainly have been royally entertained, Mr. Flannigan, and want -to thank you for it.” - -“Shure, an’ it’s yourselves that has done the entertainin’,” -responded the foreman, with a comical grin. - -“Well, good-night, everybody!” shouted the Scouts in chorus, and were -answered by a good-natured mumble from the deep-chested woodmen. - -“Forward, march!” called Scout-Master Durland, and the Boy Scouts -started on their return journey. - - - - - CHAPTER III - - THE OLD SNAKE HUNTER - - -The boys--Jack, Tom and Bob--set off one morning at the -Scout-Master’s direction for the bluestone quarries situated about a -mile from the lodge. Don rushed joyfully ahead, barking at squirrels, -who looked at him tantalizingly from safe retreats in the trees, -chasing rabbits into their burrows, and making himself altogether -disagreeable to the astonished inhabitants of the forest. - -The way to the quarries was not an easy one. The boys had to climb -over great rocks, descend the steep sides of mountains, slipping and -sliding most of the way; they had to make a path through stout vines -that reached from tree to tree and seemed determined not to let them -pass. Still they went steadily forward, for what Scout would ever -think of complaining or, worse yet, of turning back with a task half -done? - -Finally they saw before them through the trees a small hut before -which an old man of strange appearance was standing. He wore an old -brown hunting suit, so old and threadbare, in fact, that the boys -wondered how it ever managed to hold together; his leather leggings -were strapped securely just below the knee. In his hand he held -an implement that looked like a pitchfork, but which had only two -prongs, and in his mouth was a huge pipe that sent up a cloud of -smoke at every puff. And although his face was all criss-crossed with -wrinkles, the few people who knew him forgot all about that when they -caught the kindly gleam of his dark eyes, which were just as keen and -bright at sixty as they had been at twenty. - -Don trotted up and down and regarded the old man, with one paw raised -and his head cocked inquiringly on one side, confident of welcome. - -“Waal, I’ll be durned!” said the old fellow scratching his head in -perplexity. “If that dog ain’t the image of my Rover what got drowned -down in the river yonder a year ago come Monday! Seems like he might -almost be Rover’s sperret; that is, ef I was to believe in sech -things. Come here, doggie, an’ ’splain yerself! One minnit ye ain’t -there an’ next minnit ye air! Whar be ye from?” and he laid his hand -gently on the big dog’s head. - -Just then the boys came into the cleared space in front of the cabin -and saluted the old man courteously. - -“Waal, you be pow’ful fine youngsters,” he said, fairly beaming with -delight at the unexpected visit. “Be this your doggie?” - -“You bet your life he is!” Bob asserted, proudly. “Jack here is his -real owner, but we all have a part interest in him. We come from the -Boy Scouts’ camp about a mile back,” he went on to explain, “and -we’re bound for the bluestone quarries.” - -“Waal, I’ll be durned!” again said the old man, knocking the ashes -out of his pipe. “Seems to me I heerd somethin’ ’bout a boys’ camp -t’other day when I was down in town. Layin’ out that new ’state or -whatever you call it, beant you?” - -“Yes, we’re locating lakes and brooks and different kinds of trees, -and we’re getting great fun out of it, too,” Jack replied; then -added, “I’m afraid we’ll have to get along, fellows. We’ve got quite -a way to go yet.” - -“What’s your hurry, boys? ’Tain’t so often Old Sam has company drop -in to see him that he’s glad to see ’em go. Why can’t ye stay and -hev a bite o’ somethin’ to eat with me? I am bound for the quarries -myself to get the ile from any o’ them pesky snakes what are fools -enough to let me ketch ’em. I kin show you a durn sight better road -there than any you know of.” - -The boys, who had brought some lunch with them, were only too glad to -accept Old Sam’s kind invitation. Don, who had felt a lively regard -for the old man from the first minute he looked at him, trotted -contentedly into the cabin with the rest. - -The old man was so happy to have someone to talk to that he kept up -a continual chatter as he put the frying-pan on the stove and sliced -some bacon. - -“You see,” he was saying, “it was like this, boys. We had had a -turrible late spring same’s we’ve had this year an’ the river was -pow’ful swollen an’ angry like, along o’ the snow meltin’ an’ comin’ -down from the mountains. Waal, my Rover an’ me, we wuz walkin’ along -when all o’ a sudden we heerd a child screamin’. Sez I to Rover, sez -I, ‘It’s ’bout time, my boy, that we wuz findin’ out the meanin’ o’ -that there scream.’ - -“Rover seemed like he wuz o’ the same opinion, cuz before I had time -to git the words out o’ my mouth, away he went like a streak. When I -got to the river, I see my Rover gather hisself together and spring -into the river, makin’ straight fer a little patch o’ white that I -took fer a child’s dress. It didn’t take long fer me to git my coat -off and foller him, let me tell ye!” - -The boys, deeply interested, waited impatiently while Old Sam turned -a slice of bacon, and then continued, reminiscently: - -“Waal, by the time I had fit my way as fur as from this stove to the -door, I see Rover comin’ back with a little piece o’ white in his -mouth. He swum much slower and feebler than he done at fust, and I -could see that the strain was tellin’ on him turr’ble. I swum as fast -as I could to meet him. Purty soon up he come, stickin’ on to that -piece o’ white like he would sooner give up his own life than let go, -but when he looked up at me so pitiful like I--I----” Here the old -man choked and drew his hand hastily over his eyes, stealing a glance -at the boys to see if they had noticed his weakness, but finding them -all looking in the other direction, then, putting the bacon on the -table, he went on: - -“Waal, I put out my hand to take hold o’ the little child, an’ Rover, -he let go jest too soon and the little one went under. I dove down, -and soon felt the dress in my hand. When I got to the top, I jest -nat’ally looked to see whar my Rover wuz, but I couldn’t see him -nowhere. It hurt me turr’ble to go in without findin’ him, but I -knowed my strength wouldn’t hold out much longer, so I had to use it -while there wuz any left. Waal, I never could remember how I swum -the rest o’ the way to shore, but I got thar some way, an’ found a -crowd o’ people thar, glad enough to take the child after I had saved -it. They told me how brave I wuz, too, but I turned on ’em, kind of -fierce like, an’ said: - -“‘It wuzn’t me as done it! It was my Rover, and he’s dead now. Dead, -d’ye hear that?’ an’ then I jest walked away with my heart gone clean -out o’ me. Ye see, my Rover wasn’t a water dog. He jest nat’ally -hated the water, but the big, brave heart o’ him----” Here the old -man’s voice grew husky, while Don, wistfully watchful, nestled close -to him, looking up into his face with a great longing to comfort -expressed in his beautiful eyes. - -“Aye, lad,” and the voice was still unsteady, “aye, lad, ye have the -look o’ my Rover!” - -More than one of the boys dashed his hand across his eyes as he -looked at the lonely old man with his arms around their Don’s neck. - -In a moment Old Sam had pulled himself together, and called to the -boys to “fall to,” upon which the boys brought forth their baskets -and promptly carried out Old Sam’s suggestion. They avoided further -mention of Rover, but their thoughts were often drawn back to the -tragedy and in their hearts was a very tender spot for Rover’s master. - -After dinner they all set out for the quarries. Sam, as he insisted -upon the boys calling him, was as good as his word, showing them a -much shorter road than the one they had intended to follow. In a -short time they reached the quarry, and found they were in time to -see some of the blasting done. - -“Ye see,” Old Sam said, “owin’ to the late spring, all the snakes -hasn’t left their snug bedding places in the rocks, but when the men -comes around with their blastin’ the durned reptiles thinks it’s -’bout time fer them to be movin’. Ye wouldn’t believe it,” he went -on, “but some o’ them critters curls up in a great big bunch durin’ -the winter so’s they kin keep warm, and when they gits their walkin’ -papers, it’s as easy as rollin’ off a log to ketch ’em, they take so -long to get untangled.” - -“But how do you catch them?” Jack had asked eagerly. “Isn’t there -great danger of your being bitten?” - -“Not much; ye have to be pow’ful keerful, that’s all. Ye see, I gets -behind one o’ them snakes and sticks the two ends o’ this here pole -in the ground, one on one side o’ his neck jest below the head, an’ -the other on t’other side. Then I stoops over and picks him up by the -neck, and drops him head first into this here leather bag. Then when -I gets him home, I kills him and gets the ile.” - -This interested the boys intensely, and they could not wait to see it -done. They stood awhile watching the blasting when they had reached -the quarry, and then Old Sam suddenly cried out: “See that? Look over -there by them rocks! No, this way! That’s right! Now d’ye see that -reptile? Come along, and I’ll show you how I kin ketch ’em.” - -Excitedly the boys followed Sam across the rocks until he said, “Stay -there! Don’t come a step further. Now jest watch yer Uncle Sam!” - -So saying, Old Sam was off down the rocks, climbing as nimbly as a -boy. With breathless interest the boys watched as he drew near a -snake that lay basking in the sun. Without an instant’s hesitation, -he slipped up behind it, plunged his pronged stick hard on the ground -on either side of its neck and, stooping over, picked it up quickly -just behind the head and threw it bodily into his bag. Then, closing -the bag tight, he clambered up once more beside the admiring group of -Scouts. - -“You sure are a wonder!” said Tom, and the praise came from the -bottom of his heart. - -“I don’t think I’d have the nerve to try that,” said Tom Binns, who -always had had a fear of snakes. - -“Waal, ’twan’t much to do,” Old Sam protested, pleased beyond -measure, nevertheless, by the boys’ hearty and open admiration. - -After they had examined the quarries thoroughly, the party started -out once more. When they reached Sam’s cabin, he urged them to come -and see him often, to which the boys agreed eagerly, and exacted a -promise from him in return that he would come and spend a day with -them in camp soon. - -So, with a last gentle pat on Don’s head, Old Sam watched the boys -out of sight among the trees, and then turned with a happy sigh to -enter his cabin. - -“Them boys sure are fine lads, an’ the dog--waal, he did have the -looks o’ my Rover!” - -The boys went happily along, talking about the interesting events of -the day, full of wonder at Old Sam’s courage and skill. - -That evening around the camp-fire, they told an interested group of -boys about the old snake hunter. Tom Binns, who had been especially -interested in the story of Rover’s death, turned to Don where he lay -in his usual place beside Jack, and whispered softly: “Don’t you go -and get drowned like poor old Rover, boy, ’cause if you do, we sure -would have to break camp! We can’t get along without our mascot, old -fellow!” - - - - - CHAPTER IV - - THE FIGHT - - -As is usually the case with men who live close to nature, the -lumberjacks in Mr. Scott’s logging camp possessed many rough virtues, -and, it must be confessed, some equally strong vices. - -Among these might be numbered an inordinate love of fighting. -And fighting among these elemental natures was not the honorable -stand-up-and-fight-and-don’t-hit-a-man-when-he’s-down style of combat -that our Scouts were used to considering it. - -On the contrary, the one thing that the lumberman desired was to -put his opponent out of the running, either by fair means or foul. -And, indeed, the tactics employed were considered all right by their -comrades, so in a way it could not be said that they fought by -underhand methods. They knew what they had to expect, and so it was -“up to them” not to be taken unawares. - -“Everything went,” no matter what it was. A man might kick, bite, or -gouge his adversary, and if he tripped, might even jump on the fallen -man, without being criticized by his companions. Just to win, in any -way, was their one great aim and object. - -But if they had been allowed to follow their tendencies unchecked -there would have been little work done around the camp, as a large -part of the working force would have been disabled a good part of the -time. - -To prevent this, the foreman, Flannigan, had issued strict orders -against fighting of any kind. - -“The first one of yez that Oi catch at it, Oi’ll lick meself, -begorra, and fire him afterward,” had been his ultimatum and the men, -knowing him for a famous “scrapper” and a man of his word, had kept -the peace up to today. - -But there had always been a smouldering animosity between two of -the men and this morning it threatened to burst forth into a “real -knock-down rumpus,” as the lumbermen described it. - -The two lumberjacks in question were named respectively Larry O’Brien -and Jacques Lavine. As may be inferred from the names, the former -was a strapping red-headed Irishman, with a big bull neck and small, -twinkling, blue eyes. - -The Canadian, on the other hand, at first glance seemed to be much -the physical inferior of the two. He was a lighter man and more -slenderly built, but from constant outdoor work his muscles had -become like steel wires. So that if the men should at any time come -to blows, as now seemed very probable, they would be a pretty evenly -matched pair. - -It was unusually hot weather, and that may have had something to do -with the ill-temper in which the men found themselves. For another -thing, work had been slack recently, and that is always bad for men -who are not used to it. Indeed, the same thing may be said in regard -to all of us. The man who does not have to work reasonably hard is to -be pitied. - -To cap the climax, the foreman was away on a trip to the distant town -for supplies, and this fact further relaxed the reins of discipline. - -If either of the two men had been called on to give a reason for -their hatred toward each other, the chances are that they would have -been hard put to it to give an adequate reply. - -Their feud had started in some little slighting allusion to the -other’s nationality, and small things had led to larger, until now -they both felt that they must settle the question of supremacy once -for all. - -As is commonly the case with those who are of such an irritable and -trouble-seeking nature, they were really the two most worthless men -in the camp. They both drank heavily whenever they got the chance, -and were continually shirking their work and picking quarrels. - -It is safe to say that if they had put half as much energy and time -into their work as they did into grumbling and quarreling, they would -have been valuable men. - -Both were strong and skillful in the handling of axes, and could -bring a forest giant to the ground as soon or sooner than anyone else -in the camp. It is too bad that in this world of ours there is so -much misdirected energy, which if deflected into the proper channels -would do so much valuable work. - -As has been said, on this particular morning the men all felt out of -sorts, and, to make things worse, the cook had burned the biscuits. - -“It’s always the way,” grumbled O’Brien, who was usually called -“Red,” both because of the color of his hair, and also on account of -his red-hot temper, “them French cooks never is no good, nohow! I for -one never heard of a---- frog-eater who ever was any good, anyhow,” -he continued, casting a meaning glance in Lavine’s direction. - -Lavine rose slowly from his seat, an ominous scowl on his dark face. - -“You mean to say, den, Irishman, zat you tink no Frenchman be any -good? Is zat what you say?” - -“Ye guessed right foist time, Frenchy,” replied O’Brien, recklessly. -“Now, what ye gonna do about it, hey?” - -“Dog!” hissed the Frenchman, his eyes flashing and his dark face -livid with rage. “I will show you who ees your master!” and he leaped -across the rough table and struck O’Brien a tremendous blow on the -jaw. - -Any ordinary man would have dropped like a log, but the hardy -Irishman only reeled a little from the terrific buffet. - -“So that’s how ye feel, is ut?” he grunted, and they fell to -belaboring each other in good earnest. - -The rest of the men were delighted at this turn of affairs and -quickly formed a ring around the combatants. - -Neither man was very popular in the camp, so the men could enjoy the -fight without having to worry about which one conquered. All they -cared for was to see a rousing fight, and their desires seemed in a -fair way to be gratified. - -Both men were in the pink of condition, and for a long time neither -seemed to gain any advantage over the other. - -They swayed backward and forward, exchanging terrific blows that -echoed on their chests like the beating of a drum. No sound was heard -save their labored breathing and an occasional encouraging cry from -one of the men. It seemed as though no man could live through such -punishment, and finally both were forced to rest through sheer lack -of wind. - -Then they fell to again, and this time employed all the rough-house -tactics that they knew. Lavine suddenly brought his spiked shoe down -on the Irishman’s foot with all the force at his command, and the -latter gave a bellow of pain and rage. He retaliated by lowering his -head and butting it into the pit of Lavine’s stomach. The Frenchman -gave a gasp and reeled for a moment, but quickly recovered and -returned to the attack with tiger-like ferocity. - -There is no telling how the fight would have ended, for here there -was a diversion. Flannigan, the foreman, had returned to the camp -after his trip to town, and with one quick glance realized what was -going on. - -With a yell he charged the group of men, who made a path for him with -rather sheepish looks on their faces. He grabbed one by each shoulder -and threw them apart. - -“Pfwat the Dickens do ye mean by this, ye shpalpeens?” he shouted, -angrily. “Didn’t Oi say that Oi’d have no fighting in my camp? If yez -want to scrap, go and do it in some other camp. Yez can’t do it here! -Ye’re fired, both of yez! Pick up yer duds and vamoose! Beat it now, -before Oi lick the two of yez! Get!” - -The two men were entirely taken back by this, for, as is usual -with men of their type, they had an exaggerated idea of their own -importance and had not believed that Flannigan would really discharge -them. When they realized that such was actually the case, however, -their first astonishment changed to rage and resentment. Their common -plight caused them to forget their recent quarrel and they were drawn -together by their natural grudge against Flannigan. They regarded -him with black scowls and then entered the bunk house to get their -things. - -“Who’d have thought the old cuss would take it that way?” growled -O’Brien. - -“He’ll live long enough to regret it, by gar,” snapped Lavine, -grinding his teeth, “but not much longer. No man can fire me, Jacques -Lavine, in dat way and live to boast about it. No, sar!” - -“We’ll get hunk on him, all right,” muttered “Red.” “We’ll show him -that he can’t get away with anythin’ like that! Yes, by thunder, we -will!” - -“Sure ting!” assented the Frenchman, and the look in his eyes was not -good to see. He was the kind of man that would not stop at anything, -and it is safe to say that O’Brien would not be far behind him in -anything he might undertake. - -The two worthies packed their blankets and, after drawing the money -due them, set out from the camp. As they reached the edge of the -clearing they both looked back, and Lavine shook his fist at the -rough log houses. - -“We’ll get square wiz ze whole bunch,” he said, with a furious oath, -“old Scott and all of zem! Wait, dat’s all!” - -“Right you are, Frenchy,” growled O’Brien. “Shake on that,” and with -black thoughts in their hearts they entered the forest. - -What plots they laid and how they failed to take Jack Danby into the -reckoning will be seen a little later on. - - - - - CHAPTER V - - THE BEAR’S SURPRISE PARTY - - -“And bang! bing! bang! went Billy’s gun, and that was the end of -_that_ bear.” - -The words came clearly, distinctly to Dick Crawford swinging -along through the cool, green, glorious forest; but as he looked -wonderingly around, not a trace of the speaker could he see. - -The words had been uttered in a clear, boyish voice, but if a boy had -been there, he must have vanished into a hole in the ground, or been -spirited away by the woodland brownies, for no sign of a boy could he -see anywhere. - -Dick stood perfectly still and listened with all his might, but not -a human sound could he hear. Other sounds there were in plenty. The -soft gurgling of the little brook that wound down the mountain side, -and at its deepest part the quick splash of an otter, as, his small -head glistening in the light, he swam rapidly across. There was the -low murmuring of countless insects, the soft rustle of leaves as a -frightened jack-rabbit scurried to his burrow. In the branches of a -tree near by he could hear the twitter of a mother bird as she fed -her nestlings, and directly over his head, in the spreading branches -of a giant oak, two squirrels scolded noisily, very noisily, _too_ -noisily it all at once seemed to Dick, and, looking up keenly into -the branches over him, he said quietly: - -“A very good imitation of a squirrel, fellows! The only fault with it -is that it is _too_ good, too awfully good! Come down out of that, -and give an account of yourselves.” - -At this there was a great commotion overhead, and with, “Ain’t he -smart?” “Too smart!” “_Altogether_ too smart for us,” a little group -of noisy Scouts slid recklessly down the scraggy trunk of the old -oak, and Dick was surrounded. - -“We were some tired,” a Scout said to him, “so we thought we would -wait for you in the tree. Just as you came in sight Bob was finishing -a most exciting bear story.” - -“It’s fine and dandy up in that tree,” said Tom. “Let’s go up again -for a while.” - -Dick looked doubtful, for their time was not their own, and they must -give an account of it to the Scout-Master; but Jack told him that -they had really been working very hard for two hours, and he thought -a twenty minutes’ rest was what the fellows needed. So as Dick gave -the word, five boys scrambled and climbed back like monkeys into that -tree before you could have said “Jack Robinson!” - -Comfortably settled, the talk went back to the all-absorbing topic -they were discussing when Dick arrived, and one of the fellows asked -Jack what he would do if he should stumble upon a bear. - -“If I were well armed,” said Jack, “and knowing, as I do, how to -shoot, I would face him and defend myself. If I should meet him -to-day, I should race for the nearest hut or cave or anything I could -get behind or into, and thank fortune that I was lucky enough to find -such a place.” - -Some of the Scouts were inclined to think that would be rather -cowardly and were for taking their chance of fighting with a club or -anything they could lay their hands upon. Jack gave them a gentle -reminder of Bruin’s by no means gentle claws and his ferocious nature -by running his finger nails energetically down a Scout’s leggings and -uttering a most savage growl. At the same moment Dick threw his arms -around the nearest fellow and gave him a genuine bear’s hug till he -begged for mercy. - -After this demonstration, there was a general coming round to Jack’s -view. Some of the Scouts hoped they _would_ see a bear, and some -hoped they would not; but even those who hoped they would felt way -down in the bottom of their hearts that they could manage to live -without it. After all, they hadn’t “lost any bear.” - -Time was up now, so the Scouts slid nimbly back to solid ground, -and they were off to locate and make a list of the different trees. -Already that list was a creditable one, but they had an hour yet to -work before starting back to camp, and they were anxious to make it -long enough to show to the Scout-Master with pride. - -Aside from this desire, the trees themselves--the great, noble, -splendid trees--appealed to them, and made the study of them an -ever-increasing delight. - -They had located, marked and listed great sturdy oaks towering -seventy, eighty feet toward the sky, and one old giant measured one -hundred and twenty feet in height. The Scouts felt very small as they -looked up with awe at the towering branches of this monster tree. - -Then there were beech trees, with their smooth, ashy gray bark, about -the same height as the oaks, but not to be compared with them in -usefulness, although as firewood they are perfect, as are the hickory -trees. They (the hickory) and the chestnut trees need no description. -What boy does not claim a close acquaintance with them? - -Here rose a colony of butternut trees, not so tall, but with large, -beautiful leaves measuring from fifteen to thirty inches in length, -and the air was redolent with the fragrance of pine and balsam and -hemlock. - -From group to group of trees the Scouts went, examining, studying, -listing, so happily and thoroughly interested in this delightful -work that everyone started at a sudden cry of alarm in Tom’s voice. - -All turned, and at that moment saw the little fellow run out from -a clump of low bushes and fairly flying toward them, call out -bravely--not “Help me!” but “Run, boys, run, run! There is a bear -coming!” and from the bushes lumbered a bear, really of medium -size, but looking to the startled boys at that moment as big as an -elephant, and loped along only a few rods behind Tom. - -“The nearest tree and up it!” was their first instinct, and Bob Hart -and Harry French, who were nearest to Tom, seized him by an arm on -either side and pushed and pulled him up with them into the tree. The -whole thing had been so sudden and the scare so great that there had -been no time for sober thought, but only the blind instinct to seek -the first place of refuge. But just as they were settling themselves -in the spreading branches, a thought occurred to Jack that made his -face whiten and his heart beat faster. - -“Say, Dick,” he said, “we all forgot that a bear could climb. We’ve -done just exactly what he wanted us to do!” - -All the boys were seized with panic. Sure enough, they were trapped. -They were only boys, after all, and face to face with a peril that -might well have struck terror to grown men; it is no wonder that for -a moment they were smitten with panic. - -The bear himself soon dispelled any doubt as to his intentions -and, swinging along heavily to the foot of the tree, reared on his -hind paws and began to climb. There were no weapons in the party, -unless you could apply that term to the small, light hatchets that -they carried in their belts. Even these were only toys against such -an enemy. One or two of the boys snatched at them frantically and -threw, but the branches of the tree interfered with their aim and it -was only Dick’s hatchet that struck with its blunt end the nose of -the bear. Beyond a slight shake of the head, he gave no sign of it -hurting him, and steadily kept on climbing. - -The boys had pushed their way out along the branches as far from the -trunk as possible, and just at this moment the branch on which Harry -French was moving suddenly cracked, broke, and he found himself lying -face down full length on the ground about twenty feet from the foot -of the tree. The bear heard the crash and, seeing one of his enemies -thus delivered into his hands, scrambled hastily back down the tree -and started toward Harry. There was only one thing for the boy to do, -and, being a Scout, he did it; he lay perfectly still. - -The bear, surprised at the quiet of the motionless figure, hesitated -just a moment, but that was long enough for Jack Danby, who was -perched on a branch just overhead, to decide what to do. - -His plan was only a forlorn hope and he knew if it failed it probably -meant the loss of his life as well as Harry’s, but what could he do? -“A Scout is brave.” And he simply could not stay there and see Harry, -dear old Harry, attacked without an effort at least being made to -save him. - -It was a time for desperate measures. With a silent prayer for help, -he jumped quickly and landed, as he had schemed to do, squarely upon -the bear’s back. Now Jack was no featherweight. Nearly nineteen years -old, he was tall and well developed, weighing much more than an -ordinary young fellow of his age. - -The effect upon the bear was startling. When this weight came -crashing down upon him like a thunderbolt, he was seized with -consternation, and, forgetting everything else in his panic, he -rushed away as fast as his legs could carry him, and that was -very fast, for, though a bear’s movements give an impression of -clumsiness, he can move like a streak, as many a one has learned -to his cost when trying to escape. Jack, who had rolled over and -over, jumped up quickly and ran to where Harry still lay, not daring -to move. His fall had shaken him badly, but no bones were broken, -although now that the danger was over the terrific strain made him -tremble like a leaf. - -The Scouts had joyfully watched the bear out of sight and, fearing -that he might recover from his fright and return, slid down the tree -and all started off thankfully for the camp. - -Their path led along a natural hedge of high-growing bushes, and -suddenly they heard gruff voices on the other side. They caught the -name of Flannigan, the foreman, coupled with an oath. The words that -followed halted them in their tracks and they stood like statues. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - THE PLOT - - -“Zen we shall knife heem--we shall keel heem!” came over the hedge in -accents undeniably French. - -“Naw!” was the reply, in a heavy brogue. “We won’t kill him--that -would be too aisy fur him! He’ll sweat more if yer let him live. -We’ll do fur him! We’ll fix him so that it’ll be many and many a long -day before he’ll set foot to the ground, and thin, begorra, mayhap -wan foot will be farther from the ground than the ither!” - -The boys had no choice but to listen. Bob, who was nearest the hedge, -could look through a small opening and plainly see the two ruffians -seated on the ground with heads close together in deep and dark -converse with each other. - -They were an ill-assorted pair. Their different nationality made -them totally unlike in outward appearance--one a great, ruddy, burly -Irishman, the other a slight, dark, wiry Frenchman. Utterly opposed -to each other by nature, their common desire for vengeance had drawn -them together and, for the time being, made them pals. - -At first, their one thought and desire was vengeance. They had room -in their angry hearts for nothing else. Both were naturally cruel, -and on the day of their discharge they had shaken angry fists at the -camp, and through the days of idleness that had followed they had -thought only of the punishment they would wreak on their enemy, the -foreman. - -To waylay him in the woods, to get their eager hands upon him, to -beat him into pulp, and in the end perhaps to take his life--this had -been their one object and aim. - -But now a new element entered into their desire for vengeance. For -days after their discharge they had roamed the woods. At first they -had made a visit to the county town, and there with the reckless -improvidence of their kind, had feasted and drunk and gambled away -every dollar of their pay, drawn on that last day in camp, and then -had taken to the woods. - -Since then they had lived on berries and roots, and an occasional -bird which they had managed to snare. With a bent pin and a line made -of twisted fibers of long grass, and with worms for bait, they had -caught some fish, but their living was scanty and poor. - -Accustomed to the plain, but well cooked and abundant food of the -camp, days of this meagre diet had told upon the two. Especially was -it felt by O’Brien, for his great, muscular frame needed nourishing -food, and food in plenty. - -While their tobacco lasted, it had not been so bad, but as their -hunger grew, their ferocity grew, and, added to their desire to -punish the man they considered their enemy (it never occurred to -them that they were their own worst enemies) came a determination to -obtain money, no matter how. - -Why should other people be sitting down three times a day to tables -loaded with things good to eat and drink--the very thought made their -mouths water!--and lie down every night on soft, comfortable beds, -while they nearly starved and slept on the hard ground at night? - -The thought of Flannigan having plenty of food and tobacco and all -other needed comforts filled them with ferocious rage and hate. - -Money they _would_ have, and mighty quick, too! And a plan to obtain -it had come to both men at almost the same moment--Flannigan and the -payroll! - -It was the custom of the foreman to take a trip to the Junction, a -station on the railroad about ten miles from the logging camp, where -the station agent always had ready an express package containing -several thousand dollars, to be used to pay off the men, and to -defray the expenses of the camp. - -This trip was always taken on the last day of the month, and now that -was only five days away! - -What a thought! What fools they had been not to think of it before! -To be able to get revenge and at the same time secure what was to -them a fortune, to revel and drink and gamble to their heart’s desire! - -“Be gobs!” said Larry, “that’s the finest scheme that iver came down -the pike!” - -“It sure ees!” said the little Frenchman; and then they fell to work -in good earnest to arrange their wicked plot. - -“There’s only wan road back to camp, as yez well know, Jacques, me -mon,” said Larry, joyfully. “An’ do yez moind the sharp turn in the -road about six miles this side o’ the Junction?” - -“Oui, I know heem!” said Jacques. - -“Well, that’s the spot to do the job,” said Larry. “If he wuz on -foot, he might take the short cut back to camp, but with the buggy, -he can’t hilp himself goin’ round by the road.” - -“Dat ees goot; dat ees bien goot!” said the little Frenchman. “Before -he can say one petit word, we will have heem by ze t’roat, and zen--” -Here Jacques, in an excess of fiendish exultation at the thought of -having his enemy at last in his power, rolled over and over in the -grass, and then, springing to his feet, executed a series of clumsy -steps and only stopped when, his limbs failing him, he dropped -breathlessly to the ground, while Larry sat grinning at his pal, -fully sympathizing with him in his delight at so soon realizing the -success of their scheme. - -Again Jacques’ greed for the money gave place to his hatred of -Flannigan, and with darkening face and cruel eyes, he raged: - -“Chien! Pig! Dat he should tink to fire me, _me_, Lavine, a son of ze -great French republic, and nevaire hear notink again!” - -Larry waited a minute for him to calm down a little, and then went on: - -“Whin we have done fur him, we’ll divide the long green aiven, and -thin make thracks fur Canada. Once in there, Jacques, me b’y, we’re -outside the United States, and they’ll not be able to find us. - -“Whin Flannigan comes around the turn of the road, you go fur the -horse’s head, and I’ll tackle Flannigan. In wan minnit, before he -knows what’s happenin’, I’ll----” - -Just what more O’Brien might have said was never known, for just then -Don--blundering old Don, seeing a jack-rabbit poke his head out from -behind the roots of a great tree, found the temptation too strong -to resist, gave chase and raced the rabbit across the grass in full -sight of the plotters. - -The Scouts, who all this time had been standing motionless, their -hearts beating faster and faster as the details of the plot were made -plain to them, and with faces on which horror was clearly written, -were filled with consternation at this unexpected move of the dog. -They now quickly skirted the bushes and, slipping among some thickly -growing trees, found a little bypath and ran rapidly along it, on -their way back to camp. - -As the big dog bounded after the rabbit and into the bushes, within -ten feet of them, the plotters sprang to their feet, filled with -alarm. - -“Someone ees list’ning to our talk,” said Jacques. “What ees eet that -we shall do?” - -“Look around and find them,” Larry replied. “You look in the trees on -that side, and Oi’ll go over to that short cut thim Scout spalpeens -take to their camp.” - -The two searched all around on both sides of the hedge, but finding -no trace of anything human, returned to the scene of their conspiracy. - -“But certainly there ees somebody has been here, and he have hear -what we have say,” said Jacques, uneasily. - -“If it was anybody, it, was thim B’y Scouts, bad cess to thim!” -grumbled Larry; and then, as if thinking aloud, he went on: - -“If it was thim measly Scouts, they’ll blab from a ‘sinse of juty,’ -as I heard wan of thim say oncet, just as soon as they reach camp, -and the nixt thing they’ll do ‘from a sinse of juty’ will be to -warn Flannigan. But let thim thry it! Jist let thim thry it!” he -sputtered, full of rage at the thought that the Boy Scouts, whom -he despised, might, by warning the logging camp, be the means of -bringing to naught their carefully thought out plans. - -“But zey shall not,” said Jacques. “We--you, Larry O’Brien, and I, -Jacques Lavine--_we_ will stop zem! Eet ees that we shall find a way.” - -“We will that!” the Irishman said. “And Oi’ll tell yez how we’ll do -it. From the first minnit the Scouts are out in the mornin’ till they -are in camp agin at noight, we’ll lie along the road to the loggin’ -camp and watch, and the first Scout spalpeen that shows his face -anint it, we grab him. Oncet we git our hands upon him, Oi’ll bet yez -any amount yez want that he’ll wish he’d niver been born! His own -mither won’t know him when she sees him!” - -“_Varmint!_” said the “son of the great French republic.” “Zat makes -me ver’ glad--ver’ happy! Zat ees what we shall do!” - -So they talked; and, having arranged all to their wicked -satisfaction, went their way. - -As soon as the Scouts reached camp, they made a full report to the -Scout-Master of their adventures. When he heard the details of their -encounter with the bear, his hearty words of praise for Jack’s heroic -act found an echo in the heart of every Scout in camp. - -Jack modestly insisted that it was no more than any Scout would have -done if he had been given the same opportunity. While the boys tried -to tell themselves that this was true, they admired Jack none the -less. They _might_ have done it, but Jack _had_ done it, and that -made all the difference in the world. - -At the recital of the details of the plot against Mr. Flannigan, the -Scout-Master looked very grave indeed. Knowing how unrestrained the -passions of the class of men employed at the logging camp were, and -how brutal and cruel they could be, he fully realized Mr. Flannigan’s -danger. - -Of course, there was only one thing to do. He must at once send a -Scout to the logging camp with a letter to the foreman, giving him -full particulars of the plot and warning him of his danger. - -So, intending to send Jack Danby and Tom Binns immediately after -breakfast the next morning, he went to his tent to write the letter. - - - - - CHAPTER VII - - TRAPPED IN THE CAVE - - -Don opened his eyes, yawned, and then got up from his comfortable -bed, shaking himself and stretching to his heart’s content. Trotting -over to Jack’s cot, he stood regarding his master, doubtful whether -or not to wake him. Finally deciding that it must be time to get -up, he stuck his cold nose into Jack’s hand, and uttered his low, -good-morning bark, as Jack sleepily opened his eyes. - -“Time to get up, old fellow, is it?” he said, pulling Don’s front -paws up on his cot, while Don’s plumy tail waved vigorously. “Well, -I’m not specially stuck on it, but ‘needs must when the---- ’”; then, -turning to Don, he said, reprovingly, “You mustn’t say things like -that, Don; it’s not nice.” - -Here Tom chimed in, saying with a stifled yawn, “What time is it, -anyway? It seems to me as if I had just gone to bed, and here you are -talking about getting up!” - -“Blame it on Don,” said Jack, cheerily. “He woke me up, and he says -it’s about time for us lazy humans to be getting a move on.” - -“Well, of course, what Don says goes,” Tom responded, caressingly -pulling Don’s ear as the dog went over to him, for Tom came second in -the big collie’s regard. - -“Say, that was a narrow escape we had yesterday, wasn’t it?” asked -Tom, reverting to the overheard plot of the day before. “There’s no -telling what those fellows would have done if they had found out that -we knew all about their plans of revenge.” - -“Whom do you suppose Mr. Durland will pick out to go to the lumber -camp to-day?” - -“I haven’t the least idea,” Jack replied. “I’d like nothing better -than to go myself. After I’d warned Mr. Flannigan of his danger, -perhaps he would show me around the camp. It would be great fun, for -I’ve always wanted to go over one thoroughly, but have never had the -chance. We only got a glimpse of it the other day.” - -“If you went, you could count on me to go, too, and old Don, -here--he’d never consent to being left behind, would you, boy?” To -which Don promptly gave a decided negative. - -Although the boys had been talking in whispers, it was just enough -to arouse the rest of the Scouts, and in a twinkling the lodge was -filled with sleepy boys’ voices. - -“I don’t want to get up,” complained one. - -“I don’t, either! Nothing would suit me better than to stay just -where I am for a couple of hours!” - -“I wish I could take a dip and lie in the sun until I was dry, the -way Don does. He never has to bother with clothes.” - -However, a Scout’s sense of duty is always stronger than his love -of ease, so in a few minutes the boys all filed out to take their -morning plunge. It was only a few minutes until each Scout, refreshed -by a dip in the cold water, and filled with the joy of living, -rushed to the mess tent and began his day in a way approved from the -beginning of time. - -After the bedding had been aired and the cots made up, the boys were -called together by the Scout-Master’s shrill whistle. They were then -divided into squads, and each squad was assigned some special work -for the day that was always play to the wood-loving boys. - -“I think,” Mr. Durland said, “that since Jack knows the woods so -thoroughly, he had better be the one to warn Mr. Flannigan of the -plot. I suppose,” he added, turning to Jack, “that you want Tom to go -with you, as usual, and of course Don couldn’t be kept in camp while -you were out of it. If I were you, boys, I’d start right away, so -that you can get back to camp early.” - -With that the boys saluted, and with eager haste went into the lodge -to get their things ready for the hike. - -“Come on, Tom! Come on, Don!” Jack shouted a minute later as he led -the way through the woods. “Let’s see how quickly we can get to the -lumber camp. Sure, we’ll break the record. Ouch!” he exclaimed after -a minute, turning to look frowningly at the plant that had pricked -him. - -“What do you suppose that is, Jack?” he asked. “I don’t remember ever -studying a plant like that.” - -“Guess you don’t! That’s one of the plants that grow near a bog--I -forget the name of it now. We’d better look out, though, if we’re -anywhere near a bog. I’m not over-anxious to take a mud bath,” Jack -replied. - -“We’d be mighty lucky if we got off with nothing worse than a mud -bath. If we once got mired in one of those swamps, the chances would -be two to one that we would never get out alive,” said Tom, and then -added suddenly: “Where’s Don?” - -“Blessed if I know!” said Jack, while his face began to take on a -worried expression. “He can’t be very far off, though. He was here -just a minute ago. Here, Don; here, Don--where are you, old fellow?” -he called, but no joyous bark answered the well-known voice. - -Then Tom put two fingers between his teeth and sent forth a shrill -whistle that echoed and re-echoed through the trees. This time, to -their great relief, they were answered, and in a moment more Don -himself came bounding up to them. His relief showed in his voice as -Jack patted his favorite on the head and said, “We thought you might -be stuck in the swamp, Don. Don’t go away like that again, will you, -old fellow?” And Don readily promised. - -They started on again, this time with much greater caution than -before. Whenever they came to ground that looked the least bit -suspicious, they skirted it very carefully. Don had kept close to his -master’s side as he had promised, although at times it was very hard -for him to keep from chasing the squirrels and rabbits that looked at -him in such an aggravating way. Finally one reckless little chipmunk -scurried along almost under Don’s nose, and it was more than dog -nature could stand. With a bound he was off after the little fellow, -who, frightened by the sudden onslaught, fairly flew to the shelter -of his hole and left Don to bark away his vexation. - -Suddenly he stopped barking and trotted forward a few paces, then, -with ears bent forward and front paw raised, seemed to be listening -intently. Suddenly he burst into a chorus of wild barks and then -crouched down, growling savagely, with his eyes fixed on a clump of -bushes. - -The boys, who were just rounding a rock and could not see Don on -ahead, started forward eagerly to find the cause of his uneasiness, -but stopped abruptly as two men armed with heavy clubs sprang out -from the shelter of the bushes with the evident intention of doing -for the dog then and there. In a flash it came to Jack that these -were the two men whose plot they had overheard. Suppose they had seen -the Scouts the day before and, taking it for granted they would warn -Flannigan, had lain in wait for them here in this lonely spot? - -As the boys were unarmed, discretion was the better part of valor, -so, calling to Don, they doubled behind a couple of huge rocks and -made for a cave that they had come across on one of their scouting -expeditions a few days before. - -Meanwhile Don had sprung at the man nearest him, who happened to be -Lavine, and had caught him by the leg. Lifting his cudgel high in the -air, the man would have felled him if he had not heard Jack’s command -to the dog to “come along.” Quickly the dog dodged and started off -in the direction his master had taken. By that time the second -ex-lumberjack, O’Brien, had caught sight of the boys and had started -off hotly in pursuit. Don knew that the boys’ safety depended on the -time they had to get away, so he raced off after O’Brien. When he -reached him, he snapped at his legs and hands, while the man, cursing -and swearing horribly, aimed blow after blow at his tormentor’s head. -Dodging the blows easily, Don watched the boys until they disappeared -through the trees. - -As Lavine came running up--Don’s teeth had only gone through his -trousers--the faithful dog thought it was about time he left, so he -made off as fast as his legs could carry him in the direction of the -camp. - -The cave that the boys were bound for had all the characteristics of -some wild animal’s home. When the Scouts had come across it first -they had been impressed by the fetid odor that filled it and the -bones of small creatures that were strewn all over the floor. Now, -as the boys rushed along, their one thought was whether or not the -animal would be there. - -Running, slipping, sliding and stumbling, they made their way down -the steep ravine, dodged behind a boulder and came in sight of the -bushes that hid the entrance to the cave. - -“Quick!” Jack hissed, pulling aside the bushes. “I don’t think -there’s anything in there, but if there is, we’ll have to take our -chance!” - -In less time than it takes to tell, the boys were inside and the -bushes were once more in place. With hearts threatening to jump out -of their mouths, they listened for the sound of footsteps outside the -cave. Pretty soon they came. Heavy, ponderous footsteps they were, -and they seemed to be nearing the mouth of the cave. - -“I don’t see where the young deevils could have gone,” they heard the -Frenchman say, “yet zey have disappear as if ze earth is open an’ -swallow zem up.” - -“I wish it had!” the Irishman replied, grimly. “More be taken if Oi -could oncet get ahold of the spalpeens it wouldn’t be so very long -before they’d be kivered with airth.” - -The boys shuddered as they thought of the murderous attack they -had so narrowly escaped, and it was with a long sigh of relief -that they finally realized that their pursuers knew nothing of -their hiding-place. After a short time spent in fruitless search, -Lavine and O’Brien started off, grumbling and cursing, to scour the -surrounding woods. - -The boys had been in as much apprehension because of the possible -return of the occupant of the cave as they had been because of the -presence of the men. So now, when one danger was removed, they had -time to think of the other. As soon as they thought the men were -far enough away for them to venture out, Tom, who was nearest the -opening, looked out to see if the way were really clear. - -He sprang back in alarm as a great pile of dirt and stones came -hurtling down the mountain side with a roar like thunder and with a -force that made the ground tremble. The great mass was piled high -before the opening of the cave, shutting out every vestige of light -and air. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - THE BOY SCOUTS TO THE FORE - - -“Jack, Jack, where are you?” Tom called wildly, groping around in the -inky blackness for his friend. - -“Here, old man!” Jack replied from his corner. “I thought from the -roar a lion had come to interview us. What has happened, anyway?” - -“What has happened? Why, man, it seems as if the whole mountain has -slid down to cover the cave. It’s shut out all the air, and we can’t -breathe very long with the little we have in here. Why, Jack, do you -realize that unless someone finds us in a hurry we will die in this -horrible smelling hole like rats in a trap?” - -“It sure is some tight place, old fellow, but what we’ve got to do -now is to brace up and think of some way to get out.” - -“Oh, yes, that sounds all right, but how are we going to do it? Can -we dig our way through rocks and dirt with our fingers? Can we change -into moles and burrow our way out underground? I tell you, Jack, -we’re goners unless somebody discovers us within the next hour at the -most.” - -“Tom, Tom, don’t talk like that! Brace up and be a man! If we’ve -got to face Death, let’s meet him bravely, as a true Scout should. -Besides,” he added after a moment’s thought, “don’t you remember the -bones that we saw scattered around here the other day? Let’s hunt -around and see if we can find some. They might possibly help us to -dig our way out.” - -The boys searched desperately for a bone big enough to be of service -to them. Finally they found a couple that they thought might serve -and they set to work fearfully to see what they could do. - -Slowly but surely they dug through the mass of dirt and stones and -they were just beginning to hope that they might succeed when they -received an unexpected check. They had cleared away a good part of -the debris, but when they started again after a moment’s rest they -found that they could go no farther, for the bones struck upon a -solid rock. - -Mad with disappointment and rage, the boys threw themselves upon the -rock, tore at it with their nails and struck at it with their bare -hands until they were all raw and bleeding. Finally, exhausted and -weakened by the lack of air, they threw themselves, panting, on the -ground where they lay unable to move for a few minutes. - -Jack was the first to recover himself and, sitting up, he put his -hand to his head, which seemed to be whirling around dizzily, and -said sharply: - -“Come, this will never do! Here when we need what little brains we -have, we use them by acting like fools. If I could only think! If I -could--only--think,” he muttered, while his head dropped wearily to -his knee. - -“Jack, Jack!” Tom cried, springing to his feet. “I can’t stand it! -I’ll go mad if I have to stay here much longer! Can’t you hear the -birds singing out there? Can’t you hear the murmuring of the brook? -Can’t you smell the air sweet with the glorious sunshine filtering -through the leaves and touching all the flowers with gold? Why, -man, the world’s alive out there, while in here the darkness--awful -darkness is bearing me down, crushing me--” and with a shuddering sob -he sank down and buried his face in his hands, trying to shut out -that impenetrable wall that seemed to be closing in upon him on all -sides. - -“Listen a minute, Tom, old friend, old comrade!” Jack said gently, -soothingly, reaching over to put an arm about Tom’s shoulders. “We -forgot all about Don,--our Don who has never failed any of us in a -tight place. He must have escaped from those lumbermen all right or -they would have said something about having done for him when they -came to look for us here. Well, now, suppose he has escaped, what -would he naturally do first? Why, he’d go straight to the camp of -course and get the fellows here to help us. If he did that, we may -expect them any time now. All we have to do is to wait.” - -At Jack’s calm, matter-of-fact tone, Tom gathered himself together -and said frankly, “Jack, you make me heartily ashamed of myself! From -now on I’ll try to act like a man and a Scout!” - -So the boys, encouraged by the faint ray of hope, sat side by side -to wait for whatever might be in store for them. Only once, as the -air got thicker and they found it harder to breathe, Tom muttered, -“I only hope they come soon!” And with that they fell into a sort of -stupor from which they aroused themselves with great difficulty from -time to time. - - * * * * * - -Meanwhile Don’s one thought and aim had been to reach camp and bring -help to his friends. At first he had trouble in striking the trail -and had to go way back to the scene of the attack before he finally -found it. Then with nose to the ground and with eyes that turned -neither to the right nor to the left, he trotted steadily along. -There was no rabbit in that whole wide expanse of forest that could -have tempted him to leave the trail that day, for the well-being, -perhaps the lives, of his two best friends were at stake. - -Once he lost the trail and for a few terrible seconds ran about -wildly in vain search of it. Finally he picked it up again on the -other side of the brook and started on, faster than before to make up -for lost time. - -Another time a thorn stuck into his foot and, although it hurt -him cruelly, he never once faltered or stopped, but only limped on -unflinchingly. - -Ay, Don, Old Sam spoke very truly when he said, “Ye have the look o’ -my Rover,” and he might have added, “an’ the good, brave heart o’ -him, too!” - -Although it seemed ages to the tired, lame dog, it was in reality -only a very short time before he reached the camp. Luckily the boys -had come back from their scouting and were talking over their various -experiences. As the dog limped painfully up to them Harry exclaimed, -“Say, fellows, what’s the matter with Don?” - -“Looks as if he had something in his foot,” Dick commented. “Come -here, old fellow, and let me see what’s the matter.” - -Don came up willingly and held up his paw to be examined. Impatiently -he waited while Dick, with many expressions of sympathy, took out the -long thorn and gently bound up the injured paw. - -“Poor old boy!” one of the Scouts said, as he patted the dog’s shaggy -head, “it must have pained you terribly! But where are Jack and Tom? -It’s not like Jack to leave Don to come on alone especially when he -knew he was hurt,” he added, turning to the boys. - -At this Don, who had been waiting impatiently while his foot was -being doctored, ran to the edge of the woods and stood there looking -back at the Scouts pleadingly. - -“What does he want?” asked a Tenderfoot Scout, who did not know Don -as well as the rest. - -“He wants us to follow him. I’m afraid, fellows, that something’s -happened to Jack and Tom. And I, for one, mean to find out what it is -and mighty quick, too!” said Pete Stubbs. - -“We’re with you!” came a chorus of hearty voices. - -By this time Mr. Durland had come up and asked the cause of the -excitement. He listened to the recital of their fears with a very -grave face. In a moment the boys were flying around everywhere to -carry out his directions. - -“Some of you boys go and get anything that you can find in the lodge -or out of it,” he said, “to dig with. There are three or four old -shovels there that may come in handy and a lot of trowels that we use -for digging up specimens of flowers. Hurry, boys!” - -In a short time the Scouts were ready to start, and Don, forgetting -all about his sore foot, led them rapidly along the trail. - -Dick turned to Mr. Durland and asked him how he meant to use the -shovels. - -“There is great danger in this part of the country on account of -the landslides that frequently occur,” the Scout-Master explained. -“Of course, they are not usually on a very large scale. They are -very often caused by a loose rock starting to fall from the top of a -mountain and so loosening masses of stones and dirt.” - -“But do you suppose that the boys could possibly be caught in one of -them?” Dick asked, while his face grew white at the very thought. - -“There is a chance, of course,” Mr. Durland replied anxiously, “and -because of that chance, I thought it was best to bring the shovels -along.” - -“Be prepared!” Dick murmured, and felt a curious tightening of his -heartstrings as he thought of his comrades in distress. - -Finally Don brought them to the clump of bushes behind which O’Brien -and Levine had been hidden. The boys noticed how the ground had been -trampled down and the bushes torn aside, and at once it flashed -through their minds that the boys might have been attacked. Here Don -seemed to lose the trail, but the Scouts now readily picked it up, -trained for trailing as they were, and they started on again with -redoubled speed. - -A dozen wild conjectures chased each other through the boys’ -bewildered heads. Suppose the two lumbermen had learned of the boys’ -intention to warn Flannigan! Suppose they had waylaid Jack and Tom! -Would the boys stand up to them? If they did, would they win? If they -had been attacked on their way to the lumber camp, every Scout felt -sure that the boys would do their best to avoid the plotters and -deliver their message. On the other hand, if they had been coming -back, it was more than likely that the boys would stand up to the two -ruffians. If this last were so, what had been the outcome? As nobody -was able to answer this, all they could do was to follow Don, now -plunging on far ahead. - -As they neared the cave some of the boys recognized their -surroundings. Then a new fear came to torment them. What if the boys -had run to the cave for shelter and had found the unknown inhabitants -there? - -In another minute they had scrambled down the ravine, rounded the -rocks and had come into full view of the place where the cave had -been. At the sight that met their eyes they stopped short and fairly -gasped with astonishment and dismay. - -They all looked to Mr. Durland for an explanation of this state of -affairs. - -“Boys,” said the Scout-Master in a strained, unnatural voice, “you -say that there was a cave in the side of that mountain?” - -“Yes, sir,” said Bob. “We examined it thoroughly the other day.” - -“Then I am afraid that you will all have a chance to test every ounce -of courage and fortitude you possess to-day. Boys,” he said, and his -voice shook a little in spite of himself, “our Tom and Jack are -almost certainly in that cave and are suffering--perhaps dying--for -lack of air! Are you ready, now, to get them out?” - -The boys’ answer was a deafening shout, and, snatching up their -shovels and trowels, set to work with a grim do-it-or-die expression -on their young faces that did Mr. Durland’s heart good. In earnest -they applied themselves to their heart-breaking task, opening their -lips for nothing except to call the boys’ names from time to time. - - * * * * * - -What was that voice? It seemed so far away--as if someone were -calling from a great distance. What was it they were saying? Was -it “Jack?” No, it was “Tom.” Why were they calling them? Where -were they? What was that strange feeling in his head, that dizzy -sensation, that made him feel as if he were spinning around and -around? Had the lumbermen caught them after all? No, that could not -be it. Now he had it! They were smothering to death in this loathsome -hole! So, by painful degrees, Jack drew himself back from the dark -abyss of oblivion and came to a full realization of his whereabouts. - -“Tom, Tom,” he cried, shaking his friend fiercely, “they’ve come, -they’ve come! Do you hear them?” and he called out in as loud a voice -as he could again and again. - -When Tom came to himself, he added his shouts to Jack’s and they -finally succeeded in making themselves heard by the straining -workers outside. With glad cries of encouragement, the Scouts went to -work once more with redoubled energy. In five minutes, that seemed -like five ages to the gasping boys inside, a tiny place was cleared -before the entrance of the cave, letting in a breath of cool, fresh -air. In another half hour the cave mouth was entirely free and the -two half-smothered boys were helped out by their anxious friends. -With a sharp cry Tom clapped his hands over his eyes to keep out the -dazzling light. - -The Scouts crowded eagerly about the two boys, scarcely able to -restrain their delight. They patted them all over to see if there -were any broken bones, shook their hands and overwhelmed them with -questions. - -Then it was Don’s turn. Limping from the wound in his foot, he came -slowly over the pile of dirt and stones and looked wistfully up into -his master’s face. - -“Don, darling old Don!” Jack cried, hiding his face in the dog’s -rough coat. “Then they didn’t hurt you, beauty, did they?” - -Then the boys learned all that Don had done for them, and if they had -loved him before, they idolized him now. - -Of course Jack and Tom were too exhausted by their nerve-racking -experience to continue their journey to the lumber camp, so Mr. -Durland chose Dick in their place, and with the good wishes of the -boys, he started off through the trees. - -On the way home, the boys could not hold their wild spirits in check. -They chased rabbits and squirrels, shouted to each other, played -leapfrog and sang rollicking college songs. Only Don walked soberly -along beside Jack, too happy to leave his master’s side, and his eyes -alone told a story more eloquent than words. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - - DICK CRAWFORD GIVES WARNING - - -It was an ideal summer day, and Dick Crawford, going through the -woods toward the logging camp, could not help thinking what a lucky -fellow he was. - -“It’s worth a million,” he thought, “just to be a Boy Scout, and to -be alive on a day like this.” - -Dick was no poet, but if he had been, he could have written an ode -to the wonderful, mystic forest. The narrow path he traversed was -closely hemmed in by giant trees, covered with moss and, at times, he -could see the glistening of a waxy bunch of mistletoe high up on some -old oak. - -Finally his mind came around to all the exciting events of the last -few days, and he became sober. - -When would the miscreants be brought to book? It did not seem -possible that they could long remain at large, but then the North -Woods are very extensive, and offer thousands of hiding places to -experienced woodsmen like the discharged lumberjacks. - -At this thought his heart sank, but Dick was not one to worry much -about things he could not help, nor to cross a bridge until he came -to it. - -So he dismissed all forebodings from his mind and set up a shrill -whistle that caused the forest to echo and the squirrels to sit up in -front of the entrances to their homes and chatter angrily. - -He looked upward toward the sun, which he could at times glimpse -through the thick foliage, and, judging from its position that it -must be growing late, hurried his footsteps. He was soon in sight of -the camp, but could see no sign of life about it. As he drew nearer -the rough log houses, he shouted, “Hello, there! Hello! Hello!” - -“Hello, yourself!” responded a voice from the cook’s house, and a -moment later the tangled red head belonging to the owner of the voice -was stuck out of the doorway. - -“Oh, it’s you, is it, Dick?” he continued in a more friendly voice, -as he recognized the Assistant Scout-Master. “Well, what can I do you -for?” - -Dick smiled at this characteristic question, and replied, “Why, I -wanted to see the foreman, Mr. Flannigan. Where is he, do you know?” - -“Search me!” replied Harry, with a careless shrug of his shoulders. -“But say, wait a minute!” he exclaimed. “He did say something about -it, too. I remember now. He has gone about fifty miles up north to -look over a piece of uncut timber land there, and I remember he said -he would be back before the last of this month. But what did you want -him for, anyway?” inquisitively. - -Dick thought a minute, and then decided to tell Harry all about the -happenings of the last few days. He knew that Harry was friendly to -the Scouts, and would help them all he could in bringing the outlaws -to justice. - -Another thing that he did not know, but which was an important factor -in the chase later on, was that Harry disliked the outlaws heartily. -They had often plagued him, and made his hard life even harder, and -he had often wanted to get even with them. So it is possible that -Dick could not have taken a wiser course than that which he now -decided to pursue. - -Accordingly he proceeded to detail the happenings of the last few -days to the attentive cookee, who could not help interrupting him at -times with expressions of surprise and indignation. - -“Well, what do you know about that?” he asked at the conclusion of -Dick’s recital. “Ain’t them two about the most underhanded crooks -goin’? I only hope I can do somethin’ to help put them in jail,” and -here the expression of his eyes boded no good to the outlaws. - -Dick perceived that he had gained an ally worth having, and was -pleased accordingly. - -“I know that the others will be as pleased as I am to know that you -are going to help all you can,” Dick replied cordially to the other’s -outburst. “Now, Harry, you know from what I have told you that both -Lavine and O’Brien will go to any lengths to get even with Flannigan, -and also with us, whom they now suspect to be their enemies. - -“We have reason to believe that they will do all they can to waylay -the foreman, steal the money that he will have on his person, and -either kill or seriously injure him. - -“Now, what we want you to do is to notify us at our camp if the -foreman is not back before the last day of the month. Will you do -that?” - -“Will I?” said Harry, his eyes sparkling as he thought of the trust -that was being placed in him. “Well, I should smile! Just give me a -chance, that is all I ask. You can count on me, Dick, as much as you -can on yourself.” - -“That’s what I like to hear,” responded Dick, heartily. “We’ll -consider that settled, then. And another thing, Harry, why on earth -don’t you join the Boy Scouts? You’d have no end of fun, and we’d all -be glad to have you.” - -“Dick, all you fellers are bricks fur askin’ me, but how can I? -There ain’t anything I want as much as to be a Scout, but I have no -chance to do what you fellers do. I got to work here from the first -streak of daylight, and quit when my work’s done, which is about ten -o’clock every night of the week. I am what you call a ‘kin and can’t’ -worker; I work as soon as I can see and quit when it is so dark I -can’t see.” - -Here the boy tried to laugh, but the laugh sounded strained somehow. -It is very possible that he felt more like crying than laughing, but -he would not have had Dick know it for anything. - -Dick, however, knew boy nature pretty well, and he guessed from -Harry’s tone just about how he actually felt. So he joined in the -latter’s laugh, and then said, “Now you see here, Harry, old top, if -you really want to be a Boy Scout, there’s nothing on earth can stop -you, and we’re going to help you all we know how. I was speaking to -Mr. Durland about you the other day or, rather, he was speaking to -me, and he said that he knew of a place that is open in Mr. Scott’s -saw-mill that he was sure he could get for you. That would give you -more money than you are making now, I guess, and you’ll have a whole -lot more time to yourself. What do you say; would you like to have -that job?” - -Harry’s eyes had filled in spite of himself while Dick was talking, -and now he said in a queer, husky voice, “Say, Dick, would a duck -swim? All I can say is that you Scouts and your Scout-Master are -about the squarest, whitest bunch that I ever run up against! I’ll -beat it right along with you when you go back, and this job can go -to the dickens for all I care!” - -“Hold on a bit,” exclaimed Dick, smiling at the boy’s impulsiveness. -“You can do us a whole lot more good by sticking right here than you -could by being with us just now. We need you here to tell us in case -Flannigan doesn’t get back on time.” - -“Gee, I’d clean forgotten all about that,” said Harry, ruefully. “But -you’re dead right, and no mistake! I’d be willing to stay here the -next ten years if it would help to catch them guys. They’re pretty -slick articles, though, don’t fool yourself about that,” he added. - -“Oh, I realize that we will have our work cut out for us,” responded -Dick, seriously, “but I think we can get them finally, just the same.” - -“You bet your sweet life we can!” responded Harry, enthusiastically. -He had great confidence in his new friends and felt that if anybody -could, they would be the ones to break up the plot. But he was better -acquainted with the rascals than any of the Scouts, and knew that -they were resourceful and desperate men. - -He was immensely proud of the trust placed in him by Dick and the -others, and resolved then and there to show himself worthy of it. -He had always had a hard time of it, and had never known what it -meant to have a father or a mother. He had earned his own living as -long as he could remember and that in a great city meant constant -and hard work. Then he had drifted north in search of better paying -work, and had finally landed the job of cookee to the lumber camp. -There was more money in this than he had ever made, although it was -little enough, in all conscience, but the work was terribly hard and -exacting. - -He was supposed to be the first one up in the camp every morning, and -on him devolved the responsibility of arousing the sleeping men and -getting a good share of the breakfast. Then, after each meal, there -was the immense pile of dishes to wash--a task which he hated with -all his heart. His work was ended only after everyone else was asleep -and he had rounded out the last of his duties by setting the huge pot -of beans in the pit dug for it, there to simmer all night. - -And it was not only the wearing work and long hours that worried him -and made him wish more than once that he had never been born. He -lacked the comradeship of other boys of his own age. He had always -been too busy earning a living in the city to mingle much with -others, and now, since coming to the lumber camp, there had not been -another boy within many miles of him until the advent of the Scouts. - -So is it any wonder that at the thought of easier and more -congenial work and more especially at the prospect of having that -companionship that his very soul craved, his heart went out in -gratitude to those responsible for the change in his fortunes? - -He felt that no sacrifice would have been too great to make for them, -and would willingly have risked his life if he thought their welfare -demanded such a sacrifice. - -So now when Dick held out his hand, and said, “Well, so long, -old man, until I see you again!” his heart was running over with -gratitude. - -“So long!” responded Harry, shaking the proffered hand fervently. -“You can count on me to the last gasp.” - -“I’m sure of it, Harry,” and so with a last word of farewell, Dick -started on his homeward journey. - -He was very well satisfied with the result of his mission, and was -convinced that he had gained a recruit worth having. In addition to -this he had formed a real liking for the cookee, and was glad for his -sake that things were to be better for him in the future. - -He felt, as many others have done, the force of the fact that there -is always a greater and nobler pleasure in giving happiness to anyone -else than there is in securing it for oneself. - -He swung along at a good gait, his mind busy with these thoughts, and -was somewhat startled when, at a short turn in the path, he almost -ran into Bob Hart. - -“Gee, you gave me a scare!” he exclaimed, after they had exchanged -salutes. “What on earth are you doing here, Bob?” - -“Why, it’s this way,” explained Bob. “You know that we overheard what -the outlaws said, and after you had gone, Mr. Durland thought that -we had better patrol this path so that in case either of them tried -to stop you from going to or coming from the logging camp, we could -wig-wag signals back to our camp, and so let them know there what was -going on. That is the solution of the reason we are here.” - -“I wish we could solve the mystery of why those fellows aren’t in -jail just as easily,” remarked Dick. - -“So do I!” returned Bob, soberly. “We seem to be as far as ever from -catching them, don’t we?” - -“Here, here, young fellow! That kind of talk won’t do at all,” -laughed Dick. “This isn’t a case of where we _want_ to catch them. -It’s a case of where we’ve simply _got_ to. That’s the only way to -look at it.” - -“Yes, I suppose you’re right, Dick,” said Bob, his confidence -somewhat restored. “What did Harry say? Is he going to join?” - -“Surest thing you know!” responded Dick, cheerfully. “That boy is -going to help us more than a little, too. He knows a good deal about -the surrounding country, and he knows the habits of these rascals. -He can figure out better than we can, perhaps, just what they would -be likely to do under given conditions.” - -As they had been holding this conversation, the boys had been walking -rapidly along, and now they came up to one boy after another, all -posted as relays for wig-wagging. - -Before very long they reached the camp itself, and soon Dick was -making his report to Scout-Master Durland. - -“So you see, sir,” he concluded, “Harry will be a help to us, and -we can help him, so it is a sort of mutual benefit arrangement all -around.” - -“Which is just what the Boy Scouts are for,” said Mr. Durland, -smiling. - -After a pause, he continued thoughtfully, “Well, Dick, I guess we -have done all we can for the present, and now all we can do is to -keep a sharp lookout and see how events shape themselves. Do you -think of anything else?” - -“No, sir, I can’t say I do. Not before Flannigan gets back, anyway,” -answered Dick respectfully, and so matters were left, and the Scouts -settled down to a short spell of “having a good time, doing nothing -in particular,” as Ben Hoover expressed it. - - - - - CHAPTER X - - “BUSY AS BEAVERS” - - -“Come on, fellows,” said Jack, “let’s go and take a swim.” - -Dinner was over and the Scouts lay in various attitudes on the grass -a little distance from the mess tent. The day had been unbearably -hot. Usually there was a breeze that somewhat tempered the fierceness -of the sun, and at night, indeed, it was so cool that their blankets -felt mighty good. - -This was the first really hot day that they had had since they had -pitched camp. They had started out on a game of Mountain Scouting -during the morning, but Mr. Durland, who feared the effects of the -sun combined with violent exercise, had limited the range of their -run and they had come home earlier than usual. Now nearly an hour had -elapsed since their dinner had been eaten--or shall we say “gorged”? -because with appetites like theirs that was the most fitting -term,--and sufficient time had passed to make the proposed swim a -matter of no danger. - -The boys greeted Jack’s suggestion with a shout, and after obtaining -Mr. Durland’s permission, started off, running and leaping, kicking -up their heels like young colts, for the swimming place a little way -from camp. - -It was an ideal spot. The brook, starting from a point high up -in the mountains and cold as ice at the beginning, was gradually -tempered as it flowed under the sunlight into the lower levels and -in the meantime also widened its course. At the point that the boys -had chosen, it had spread out into a small pond or lake perhaps -three hundred feet in width. Its course had also been checked by -the level nature of the bottom at that point, so that it lay, with -scarcely a perceptible movement, gleaming in the sun, which warmed -it sufficiently to make swimming a delight. In places it was only -three or four feet deep, but toward the southern end there was a -depth of eight or ten feet that made it suitable for diving. The -younger boys and those whose skill as swimmers was not very great, -chose the upper part where, under the direction of Dick Crawford, -the Assistant Scout-Master, those unable to swim rapidly learned, -while those who simply knew the breast stroke were taught one by one -the more scientific crawl and over-hand stroke that are the envy and -despair of the small boy when he sees them put in practice by his -larger companions. Tom and Pete and Bob were down with Jack at the -southern end of the pool and as all were expert swimmers and the bank -was within easy reach, to say nothing of the assistance that would -be instantly rendered by any of their companions, should ill luck -befall, were left to do as they liked. - -They had found a heavy plank a few yards distant from the bank and -had placed it over the log of a fallen tree so that it rose at a -gradual angle until, where it overhung the stream, it was about ten -feet from the water. The end that rested on the ground was firmly -wedged between heavy rocks that the boys had gathered, capped by a -section of tree trunk, so that, no matter what might be the strain -at the other end, it was impossible for it to slip or yield. It made -a capital springboard and the Scouts had a glorious time playing -follow my leader. The slope of the plank was so gradual that they got -a good running start, and, reaching the end of the plank, with hands -upraised over their heads, were flung out in a graceful curve coming -down head foremost, straight as an arrow, and seeing how far they -could swim under water before the need of breath compelled them to -come to the surface. - -Jack’s familiarity with woodcraft and the lonely life of his early -boyhood when he was left so largely to his own devices and to what -enjoyment he could procure unaided from nature had made him a -splendid swimmer. He could dive forward and backward. He could sit -at the end of the springboard and from a sitting position leap to -his feet on the edge of the board and dive into the water with just -one motion. Once in the water, he swam like a fish. He could float -and on occasion had done so for an hour at a time without changing -his position. His action in swimming was grace itself. Now after the -boys were tired of sporting in the water, he pressed his hands close -against his side and swam from one end of the pool to the other, -using simply his feet. - -“Gee,” said Tom, who had never seen Jack swim this way before, “where -did you learn that stroke, Jack?” - -“Oh,” said Jack carelessly, “I got that from the beavers.” - -“Beavers?” said Pete, with interest. “Do they swim that way? - -“Sure!” said Jack. “Their front paws are very small and they have -to rely entirely upon the back ones. These are webbed like those of -a duck up to the root of the nails, and it’s one of the prettiest -things you ever saw to see a beaver swim. There is scarcely a ripple. -The front feet are perfectly motionless, pressed close up against its -side, while its head, with its shining fur and its keen, bright eyes -that seem to look in every direction at once, moves in a perfectly -straight line toward the front door of his house.” - -“House?” said Tom, incredulously. “What do you mean by that?” - -“Just exactly what I say,” said Jack. “Haven’t you ever heard of -beavers’ houses? Why, there isn’t a more intelligent builder among -all the animals I know about, and I’ve watched almost every one of -them! It’s not only a big house, but a well-made one. The beaver is -never satisfied with anything but perfection. It has a lot of rooms -in it and these are carpeted with leaves and moss and grass. The -upper rooms are sometimes six or eight feet above the surface of -the water so as to be perfectly dry. The wise old rascal knows that -sometimes there is a freshet that raises the level of the stream and -he makes his plan accordingly. There isn’t a thing about carpentering -or mason work that he doesn’t know. And he has to make his house -strong, too, because he has a good many enemies. The wolves and -wolverines are after him all the time and unless he had something -that they could not bite through or claw through, it would be all up -with Mr. Beaver.” - -By this time all the boys had become interested in Jack’s description -and had gathered around him. - -“You’re a lucky dog, Jack,” said Bob. “You’ve seen a whole lot of -things that us city fellows don’t know anything about.” - -“Well,” said Jack, “there is no reason why you shouldn’t find out -all about the beaver, because I know for a fact that there are some -not far from camp. Just the other day I caught sight of a beaver dam -about three miles the other side of the logging camp. I was going to -speak to you fellows about it at the time, but Don just then started -up a woodchuck and we all got so excited that I forgot. What do you -say to dressing and going over there now? It won’t be so much of -a hike and as the camp is on our way, we will drop in and ask Mr. -Durland about it so that he won’t be worried if we don’t get back -until just before supper time. There is nothing else on hand for this -afternoon and I am mighty sure that he will let us go. Wouldn’t be a -bit surprised if he wanted to come along with us!” - -The plan was greeted enthusiastically and after the fellows at the -other end of the pool had been told about it, they rushed out and -dressed quite as quickly as the rest. Then they hiked back to camp -and put the matter before the Scout-Master, who readily assented to -the trip, and, as Jack had foreseen, was very glad to go along. After -a little more than an hour’s tramp Jack held up his hand in caution. - -“You’ve got to be careful now, Scouts,” he said. “They’re wary old -fellows and the least thing disturbs them. If they once suspect that -we are anywhere near, it’s good-night with us. Those big, bright eyes -will see us all right but we won’t catch a glimpse of them. Now’s the -time for you Scouts to show what you know of woodcraft and follow me -as silently as a band of Indians.” - -Thus cautioned, the boys fell in behind Jack and, carefully avoiding -stepping upon twigs or speaking above a whisper, soon reached the -dam. They were on the banks of a mountain stream that wound its way -through the woods until at the point where they stood it was perhaps -a hundred feet in width. Just below them the progress of the stream -had been checked by what seemed at first sight a narrow bridge -extending from one bank to the other. This was about three feet wide -and perfectly smooth. - -As Jack whispered to Dick, who was the nearest, this was made just -wide enough so that the beavers in going to and fro could pass each -other in comfort. - -It evidently grew a great deal thicker as it approached the surface -of the water and at the lowest part was probably ten or twelve -feet thick. As the current was not especially strong, this served -effectually to make an almost unrippled pond such as the beavers -love. It was not exactly straight across but bent in slightly on the -side that pointed up stream so that at the center it was decidedly -curved. - -This, as Jack further whispered, was to break the force of the -current and shunt it off gradually to each side of the dam. - -It was the same principle that in a racing automobile gives the -cigar-like point to the machine so as to act as a wedge going into -the wind and lessening by that much its resistance. The base of the -dam was formed by young saplings and branches of trees that had -been cut by the beavers’ teeth and planted as piles. Between these -they had woven blades of grass and strips of bark so as to hold the -branches straight and form a foundation for the mason work that was -coming next. For the wise little creatures knew perfectly well the -force of the current, and were determined to make a good job while -they were at it. They had made mortar from the gravel and clay on -the bank of the stream, using their broad, flat tails as a trowel -for mixing. They must have had to travel to and fro thousands of -times before they completed the work and built around their temporary -outlines of plaited branches the solid wall of masonry. They knew -enough also not to make it top-heavy, and so gradually sloped it from -the bottom to the top, making it more compact by slapping it with -their tails until at last it stood almost like a wall of granite. -They watched over the dam day and night. No Hollander was ever more -careful to prevent a leak in the dikes than they were to keep their -dam perfectly solid. They knew that a little carelessness at the -start might spoil the work of years. - -While the boys were looking open-eyed at this specimen of the -beavers’ work, Jack suddenly whispered, “’Sh, here they come! Now -keep perfectly still, boys, and you will see something worth while.” - -From one of the mound-like houses up the stream a large beaver came -out, slowly looking around him with infinite caution before he left -the safety of his home. He was about two feet long in addition to -a flat oval tail that made his total length nearly three feet. His -nose was blunt, his ears small, and his eyes wonderfully soft and -intelligent. He carefully scanned the banks and the surface of the -stream, and, satisfied at length, paddled slowly toward the dam. -Something in its appearance must have alarmed him, for suddenly he -lifted his tail and struck it several times against the side of the -dam. At the sound, as though it were a signal, two or three other -beavers emerged from their houses and rapidly joined him. They swam -toward a point on the farther side, where the boys, now that their -attention was attracted to it, could see that a little stream was -trickling through and falling to the lower level of the creek beyond. - -In an instant all was activity, although there was no confusion. They -acted as though they were perfectly disciplined and each knew just -what he had to do. Two of them swam to the farther bank, climbed up -and began to tear with their sharp teeth at some slender saplings. -It was astonishing to see how quickly they had gnawed their way -through and how adroitly they moved to one side when it fell. These -they dragged to the edge of the bank, plunged into the water, holding -an end in their teeth, and swam quickly toward the threatened point. -Then two or three of them got together and pushed the young branches -in among the others. One of them in the meantime had taken up his -position on the bank and was rapidly making mortar, doing it as -skillfully as the most experienced mason, pounding the clay and mud -and stones together until it reached an even consistency and at times -flirting water upon it with his tail. Then gathering up as much as he -could carry between his two front paws and chin and with head held -well out of the water he swam to the others, just as Jack had said, -using his hind feet alone. There he dropped his load and returned for -another. - -By this time the others had done whatever work was necessary with -the branches, and all devoted themselves to the mortar, working with -incredible rapidity and never stopping for a moment. How long it -would have taken to complete the repairs the boys never knew, for -at that moment Tom, who in his eagerness had bent forward, lost his -balance and fell with a crash to the ground. The wary creatures heard -him instantly and like a flash turned and made for their homes. A -moment after the surface of the water was as smooth as a mill-pond -and none would have dreamed of the life and activity of a moment -before. - -“Well,” said Bob Hart, angrily, “of all the bone-heads!” - -“Bone-head yourself!” said Tom. “How could I help it? Do you suppose -I fell on purpose?” - -“Come, come, boys!” said Mr. Durland. “We all know it was an accident -and nobody is more sorry than Tom himself. But I guess there is no -use waiting here any longer. You can be perfectly sure that there -will be nothing doing now for the rest of the day.” - -He rose to his feet and the others followed toward the camp, so full -of wonder and excitement at what they had seen that it completely -overshadowed their chagrin at Tom’s carelessness, and he got off more -easily than he had expected. - -All that evening when supper was over and cleared away the boys were -so full of the events of the afternoon that they could hardly think -of anything else. - -“My,” said Bob, “did you see that beaver’s teeth? I’d hate to have -him bite me!” - -“Well,” said Jack, “they wouldn’t bite you unless they were cornered -and had to. Then it would be a pretty healthy thing to keep out of -reach of their teeth. They are as sharp as a chisel. As a matter of -fact, the Indians use them to carve out their ornaments of bone. The -beavers use them so much that Nature has to keep hustling to supply -new material. There is an outside row that projects toward the front -and an inner row that furnishes the material to keep the outer ones -strong and keen. Sometimes a beaver loses a tooth on either the upper -or lower jaw and then the one directly opposite this keeps growing -so fast that after a while it prevents the beaver from closing his -mouth. He can’t eat and soon starves to death.” - -“I wonder,” said Dick, “if that was a whole family that we saw this -afternoon.” - -“I think very likely,” returned Jack, “because if there had been more -they certainly would have been on the job. The beaver is a sociable -animal and never cares to live alone. Usually there are four or five -found together, but sometimes as many as thirty or forty will gather -in a little village of their own. Each family has a separate house -and each member of the family has his own individual room, which he -keeps jealously for himself, and there is always a scrap if any one -else tries to bunk in there with him.” - -“I suppose you find them almost everywhere,” said Bob Hart. - -“No, you don’t,” said Jack. “They used to be very plentiful, but -their fur is in such great demand that hunters and trappers are -after them all the time. In Europe, where they used to be abundant, -there are hardly any left except in the zoos as curiosities. You -don’t find so many of them in America either now, except where it’s -cool, as it is up here, and over the line in Canada.” - -“Well,” yawned Tom, as they finally got ready to go to bed, “I’d hate -to have to work as they do. Did you see how they pitched in this -afternoon? It makes me tired even to think of it.” - -“Yes,” said Jack. “I guess we all know better than ever before what -it means to be as ‘busy as a beaver.’” - - - - - CHAPTER XI - - THE BOG - - -“‘Where are you going, my pretty maid?’ - -“‘I’m going a-milking, sir, she said,’” chanted Pete as Ben Hoover -emerged from the mess tent with the largest tin pail the camp boasted -swinging from one hand, and the next largest one from the other. - -“Gentlemen,” said Ben, with mock dignity, “I’m not in the humor even -to resent the insult your words imply further than to say that you -will be sorry for those cruel words when you learn my mission. - -“I am about to sacrifice myself on the altar of friendship! I am -about to separate myself from human society for the space of two -endless hours! I am to spend those two hours in gathering material -for raspberry dumplings”--here a general shout of delight greeted -him--“with which to brighten the lives of many friends.” - -This speech was highly applauded by the “many friends,” and Ben, -bowing solemnly, picked up his two pails and walked off, followed by -cries of: - -“Hurrah for friendship!” - -“Bully for you!” - -“Go in and win!” - -“We won’t do a thing to those raspberries!” - -“Wait till you get them,” Ben called back, as he disappeared down the -hill. - -Whistling gaily, Ben swung along till he came to the spot he had -noticed the afternoon before, where the raspberry bushes glowed red -with the luscious fruit. - -By the time he had filled one pail, the berries were getting more -scarce, and he wandered on in search of the best filled bushes. - -He did not notice that the ground was growing soft and springy under -his feet. He only thought of getting that other pail filled and -hiking back to camp in time for the cook to use the berries for those -promised dumplings. - -“Ah, there is the dandiest one yet!” he said to himself, as a bush -fairly loaded with the red berries met his sight. He set down his -pail and reached for the berries. At that moment a sensation came -over him as if the ground were giving way beneath his feet, and -without a moment’s warning he found himself ankle deep in soft, -sticky mud. - -Not in the least alarmed, he tried to spring to firmer ground, but -instead sank deeper into the mud than before. - -More vexed than frightened, he made a more determined effort to draw -one foot out, but found that he only sank deeper. In sudden anger, -he struggled fiercely. What a sight he would be to return to camp -with his clothes all covered with mud! And such mud! How he loathed -it! He _must_, he _would_ get out, and again he tried, leaning from -side to side, tugging first at one foot, then at the other, but to no -avail. - -Thoroughly frightened now, and filled with panic, he threw himself -first backward, then forward, to left, to right. Desperately, wildly, -he strove to draw himself from that awful bog. It seemed as if some -terrible monster with countless hands were dragging him down, deeper, -deeper into that awful mire. The more he struggled, the deeper he -sank. - -All at once he realized this and ceased to struggle. He tried to -think. Was it possible that there was no way to get out of this -all-enveloping mud? Could it be that he was to die here, all alone? -And such a terrible death! - -The thought sent a shudder through him, and for a few moments he felt -faint and ill. But no, it could not be! Why, his life was just begun! -What about all those plans to make the most of every ounce of ability -God had given him, to make a successful man of himself, to help -others, to make this old world some better because he had lived? Why, -he _could_ not die, he _could_ not! He had too much work to do first! - -He thought of the merry words that had passed between him and his -fellow Scouts only a short hour before. How full of life he had been! -Why, he was as full of life now! Nothing had changed! The sun shone -warm upon his upturned face, the air was sweet with the smell of -growing things. A brilliant butterfly settled for a brief moment on -his motionless hand, fluttered, and flew away. A bird rose from a -tree, and, spreading light wings, was soon lost to sight. - -How he envied that bird! It was free, while he, worth countless -birds, was held here, where, if help did not come to him soon, he -must die. His boy heart was filled with despair. - -But no, he would not despair! He must think of some way to help -himself. There must be some way! Some of the Scouts must be near. - -He called again and again, but no answer came back to his straining -ears. He kept his face toward the sky, for he did not dare look down -at that terrible mud, but yet he knew that he was sinking, slowly, -steadily. He could feel that the muck was half way between his knees -and his waist. - -If he could only get someone to help him! If he could only make -someone hear! If he only had something--ah, a sudden thought sent -such a thrill of hope through his heart that it fairly hurt. - -His whistle--his Scout’s whistle! Why could he not signal with it? -He, like all other Boy Scouts, was familiar with the American Morse -telegraph alphabet. He would try and, placing the whistle to his -lips, he sent out in shrill notes his call for help. - -Bob Hart, like Ben Hoover, was on the commissary staff that day, -and was fishing for a mess of trout for dinner in the brook about a -quarter of a mile from the bog. - -Pausing to take breath, after a particularly fine fish had been -landed, he wondered what that queer whistle was that came faintly, -yet insistently to his ears. Was it some bird he had never seen or -heard until then? Well, it was a queer, jerky note, anyway. - -All at once there was something in that whistle that made him drop -pole and line, and stand listening not only with all his ears, but -with all his heart. - -There was something familiar about it. What was it? Ah, now he knew! -It was a signal--a message in the Morse alphabet, and again he -listened intently. - -Two short, sharp whistles--that was _I_. One long-drawn, and then -a short whistle--that was _in_. Then in quick succession the other -letters of the message, _In the bog. Help me. Hurry._ - -Every nerve in Bob’s alert young body responded to that pitiful -call. He ran--he raced--he flew, while always came that cry, “Hurry! -Hurry!” faint at first, but louder as he neared the bog. It seemed as -if his feet were held down with leaden weights. Why could he not go -faster? In his eager heart the wish was repeated again and again, Oh, -if he only had wings! - -On, on he sped, and nearer and more insistently came the call, -“Hurry! Hurry!” - -Now perhaps he was near enough to call and, raising his clear voice, -he shouted, “Courage! I’m coming! I’m coming!” and sweeter than angel -music the words sounded to Ben Hoover, sunken now to his waist. - -A moment more, and Bob was there, encouraging him and promising to -have him out in a jiffy, but this was far more easily said than done. -To find something he could throw to Ben that would serve to keep him -from sinking farther--that was the first thing. After that he would -think of something to do to draw him out. - -He pulled some bushes up by the roots and, as he threw them, told -Ben to push them close up against him and rest his arms upon them. -He felt sure they would keep Ben from sinking deeper. They did help, -and for a moment both Scouts thought their problem solved and they -chatted hopefully of the help that Bob was to bring. Vain hope! -Suddenly the bushes sank from view, and in the suction they caused -poor Ben sank lower. - -Quickly Bob ran back and forth, searching desperately for something -to throw to his unfortunate comrade. A sapling! A board! Oh, if he -had a board! And as if a miracle, he caught sight of a long one lying -among the trees. How it came there he did not know or care. That it -was there was enough. He ran to it, snatched it up and, running to -the edge of the bog, slid it carefully along until it was within -Ben’s reach. - -Carefully, wise now to the fact that the slightest movement made him -sink deeper, Ben drew the board in front of him. - -“Don’t bear your full weight upon it,” counselled Bob. “If you just -press upon it lightly with your hands, perhaps it will hold you.” - -Poor Ben, eager to do every slightest thing to help himself, obeyed -and, as the board did not seem to sink, again hope sprang up in their -hearts. - -Bob wanted to go at once for the desperately needed help, but Ben, -terrified at the thought of being left alone, begged him to wait a -few minutes until they were sure the board would hold him up until -Bob could go and return. - -“Keep up your courage, old man,” said Bob. “If that board holds--and -I feel sure it will--we’ll be all right. I’ll do a regular Marathon -up to camp. Harry and Pete are cooks this week, you know. They will -come back with me, and we’ll bring everything we can lay our hands on -to help. It will be mighty strange if we three husky fellows can’t -get one boy out of a fix! So you just be gay thinking about it, old -fellow. We’ll have you out before you know it.” - -As he finished speaking, Bob arose and with a last wave of -encouragement to poor Ben, he started on a run for camp. But that -Marathon was never run. - -Hardly had Bob gone a hundred yards from the bog than he heard Ben’s -imploring voice calling, “Come back, Bob! Come back! The board is -beginning to sink!” - -Bob came tearing back in answer to that pitiful summons to find that -in truth the board was sinking a little in the mud. Beginning at the -heavier end, it slowly sank out of sight, and as it disappeared drew -the boy a little farther down. - -He had now sunk halfway between the waist and shoulders. Now, indeed, -did both Scouts begin to despair. Half-crazed, Bob ran wildly up and -down, whistling shrilly, frantically searching for something with -which to aid his comrade. - -There was nothing! He could do no more! - -He stood, outwardly calm, but with his heart dying within him as he -watched Ben’s efforts to be brave as his last hope vanished. - -“That’s right, dear old fellow,” said Bob, “keep up a brave heart! -I’m sure that help will come! I’m sure! Oh, Ben, if we only had a -rope!” - - - - - CHAPTER XII - - OLD SAM TO THE RESCUE - - -As Bob stood there, desperately casting about in his mind for some -way to help poor Ben, now up to his armpits in the black mud, he -heard, or fancied he heard, a twig snap in the forest. Did that sound -exist only in his imagination, or had he really heard it? While he -was still in doubt, the underbrush parted, and he saw the best sight -in the world for him just then. There, framed by the bushes, was the -picturesque figure of Old Sam, the snake hunter, and in his hand he -held his two-pronged snake pole. - -At a glance he took in the situation and, springing forward lightly, -extended the pole to Ben. - -“Ketch a hold o’ the pole, an’ hang on to it, lad, an’ I’ll pull ye -out! Got a good grip? That’s right--now steady! Never mind! Ye’ll -keep it next time,” as the pole slipped from Ben’s nerveless fingers, -and let him down a little deeper in the muck. - -“Here, lad,” he said to Bob, “ketch on to this here and help me -pull!” Then encouragingly to Ben, “Now ye got it? Hang on tight this -time! Good boy! Now once more--steady--steady! Ye’re comin’, boy, -ye’re comin’! Hang on another minnit and ye’ll be on solid groun’! -Steady! Now--steady! There ye be!” he cried, exultingly, as they -landed poor Ben, mud from head to foot, on the soft, dry grass, where -he lay exhausted. - -“It’s durn good I happened ’long jest as I did,” Old Sam hurried on -to keep the boys from thanking him. “I nearly turned down t’other -road for the village, but I sez to myself, ‘Sam, old boy, p’raps ye -may meet some o’ them camp boys if ye goes by this here road,’ and so -jest on the chanct o’ meetin’ ye, I come this way. I never reckoned -I’d meet ye the way I done, though,” he added, chuckling to himself. - -Here Ben, who had been trying desperately during this monologue to -get a word in, thanked the old man heartily for the great service he -had done him. - -“I surely would have gone under in another minute if you hadn’t come -along!” he said. “I never was so glad of anything in my life as I was -to see you standing there with your long pole. I really don’t know -how to thank you!” - -“Tut, tut,” said old Sam, who always hated to be thanked for his -kind deeds. “’Twan’t nothin’ ’t all! No more’n any Christian would -hev done ef he’d found a friend o’ his’n in a tight place. I reckon -ye must feel durned sticky with that there mud all over ye, lad,” he -added, to change the subject. “S’pose ye come up to my cabin--’taint -so very far from here, and scrape some o’ it off.” - -The boys readily consented, for they had learned to think a lot of -this quaint old man of the woods. Therefore, as soon as Ben had -recovered his strength and felt rested enough, the three started out -for Sam’s cabin. In a very short time they came upon the little place -nestling in the very heart of the forest. - -Sam told Bob to make himself comfortable while he took Ben around to -a brook that ran back of the cabin and told him that if he wanted to -take a plunge, he (Sam) would scrape the muck off his suit. And soon -Ben, wonderfully refreshed by his dip in the cold water, and wearing -his khaki suit, from which Old Sam had scraped the worst of the mud, -came around the corner of the cabin and joined Bob. - -The two Scouts were in a very subdued mood. The terrible experience -they had just passed through brought with it a reaction. There was -something very restful and soothing in sitting on the grass, with -their backs against a log, while Old Sam moved cheerily around inside -the little cabin, frying bacon and eggs. - -When everything was ready, Sam called them and seated them in two -very comfortable chairs of his own making. - -“Aye,” said the old man, as he began serving the simple meal, -“there’s been many footsteps leadin’ up to them bogs as has never -come out o’ them. I remember once, when I was only a young feller, -how two o’ the ugliest villains I ever see got their deserts. Ye -see, these here rascals was tryin’ to steal some pow’ful val’ble -trees here’bouts. They had it all fixed up fine how they were goin’ -to git away with ’em. Wall, they wuz hard to work one night loadin’ -the logs on a wagon so’s they could get ’em away before mornin’, -when all a sudden they hears a voice and, lookin’ up, sees two great -big, green eyes a glarin’ right at ’em. With a yell they runs off -through the woods as fast as their legs could carry ’em, and never -stops to look where they’s goin’. All a sudden, the first man slips -an’ falls, ketchin’ hold o’ t’other and draggin’ him with him. With -a blood-curdlin’ cry, they found they was bein’ pulled under. In a -little while there was nothin’ to show they’d been there, ’ceptin’ -their footprints leadin’ up to the edge o’ the bog. Me and a friend -o’ mine was jest in time to see the last o’ ’em disappear.” - -The boys had listened in horrified silence to this story and, as Old -Sam stopped, Bob broke in breathlessly to ask, “But where did the -green eyes come from?” - -“Why, seems them belonged to a bobcat,” Old Sam began, but was again -interrupted, this time by Ben. - -“A bobcat?” he exclaimed. “I’ve heard there are some around here, but -I haven’t seen any yet.” - -“Waal, ye will! They ain’t so pow’ful plentiful, but once in a while -ye ketch sight o’ one. Me an’ me friend, after we seen the finish o’ -the rascals, we went back to see what mischief they’d been up to, and -then, all o’ a sudden, my friend sez, sez he, ‘Look a-there, Sam, I -reckon that’s what skeered them durned thieves!’ - -“I looked where he wuz pintin’ an’ I see them terr’ble glarin’ eyes. -I tell ye, lads, they made my hair jest raise itself right up on my -head, an’ I hadn’t no guilty conscience, nuther! Wall, quick as a -flash my friend, he up with his rifle an’ popped that there pesky -crittur right through the eyes!” - -Just then a menacing rattle came from one corner of the cabin that -made the boys jump from their seats in alarm. - -“Don’t be skeered!” Old Sam chuckled. “That there is one o’ my -rattlers as is waitin’ fur the man to come an’ take ’em to the -museem. If ye like, I’ll show ye my c’lection.” - -On the boys expressing an earnest desire to see the collection, Old -Sam led the way to a couple of glass-covered boxes that stood in a -corner of the cabin. In each box were two snakes; in one two rattlers -were writhing and twisting, and in the other two unusually large and -beautifully marked copperheads were lodged. - -As the boys pressed forward eagerly to examine them, one of the -rattlesnakes coiled itself and gave forth an ominous warning. -Instinctively the boys drew back with a shudder of repulsion. - -“They’re awfully treacherous creatures--those snakes!” Bob remarked. - -“Wall, yes, they be!” Old Sam drawled, “but they has one thing to -recommend ’em, anyway. They always gives warnin’ afore they strikes, -so ye kin get out o’ the way.” - -“That’s so,” Ben agreed, then added, “Haven’t you ever been bitten, -Sam?” - -“Not yet,” he replied. “Come pretty nigh it, sometimes, though. Many -a time I’ve found the critters hangin’ on to my boots. I had a cat -once what used to ketch a pow’ful lot o’ snakes fur me. He could do -it a durned sight better’n I could myself!” - -“I never knew that cats could catch snakes,” said Bob, incredulously. - -“Wall, that there one o’ mine could. Every day he used to go with me -when I hunted the critters.” - -“Tell us how he did it,” the two boys said in the same breath, and -Sam, delighted by the interest they showed, willingly complied. - -“Wall, it wuz this way,” he began. “Tommy--that wuz what I called -him--would hunt around till he found a good big rattler. Then he’d -creep on him on them soft paws o’ his’n, then all a sudden, when he -wuz just in front o’ him, he’d make a little noise and hold up his -paw. At the noise the snake would coil hisself up into a ball and -rattle somethin’ turr’ble. But Tommy, he’d never stir an inch. That -would make the reptile awful mad, and he’d strike out at that raised -paw o’ Tommy’s with all the strength he had in him. That’s just what -the cat had been countin’ on, an’ when the rattler struck, he would -jump aside quick as lightnin’. Then when the snake would go past him, -Tommy, he’d jump and land right on the critter’s neck, just below his -head. Yes, he wuz great on ketchin’ snakes, old Tommy wuz!” - -“What became of the cat?” Ben asked, eagerly. - -“Why, he lived to be sixteen years old, Tommy did, and at the end o’ -that time passed off quiet and peaceful like. He lived a happy life -and a durn useful one, too, which is more’n you kin say fur most -cats,” he added. - -Although the boys would gladly have stayed longer with this old man -who knew so many interesting tales, they knew Scout-Master Durland -would be anxious about them. They urged Old Sam to go with them back -to camp and stay to dinner, but he refused on the plea that the -“museem man” was coming to take away “them durned reptiles,” and he -had to be on hand to receive him. - -“I’ll go with ye a little ways through the woods, though,” he said, -“and see that ye don’t get stuck in no more bogs.” - -So they started merrily for the camp. Old Sam’s bacon and strange -stories had had a good effect on the two boys and they felt -themselves again. - -The snake hunter gave all the bogs a wide berth, and beguiled the way -so pleasantly with his interesting talk that before they knew it they -were almost on top of the camp. - -Bob and Ben tried their best then to persuade Old Sam to go in with -them, if only for a few minutes, but again he begged off, saying, “Ef -I once git in there, lads, I couldn’t pull myself away, an’ then what -would the poor museem man say?” - -The boys didn’t know and didn’t care, but as they saw he could not -be moved from his determination, they reluctantly let him go. Before -they parted, however, the boys overwhelmed him with thanks and -gratitude. - -“Tut, tut!” he said, for the second time that day. “’Twan’t no more’n -any Christian would hev done.” - -But although this was true to some extent, the boys looked after his -disappearing figure with no lessening of their respect and love. With -a sigh they finally turned away and started toward camp once more. - -In a few minutes they found themselves surrounded by the Scouts, who -were greatly relieved to have the two runaways with them again. - -“Where are those raspberries, Ben, that you were going to bring for -the dumplings?” Dick cried. - -Then Ben told the excited boys all about this mishap and how loyally -Bob had come to his rescue. When he spoke of the snake hunter’s -timely arrival and how he and Bob together had pulled him out of the -bog, the Scouts sent up three cheers that set Don barking. - -Reserving the snake hunter’s stories to tell around the campfire that -night, Ben concluded: “I’m sorry, fellows, that I wasn’t able to get -you those raspberries! My intentions were good, I assure you, but -I was prevented by ‘circumstances over which I had no control,’ as -contracts say.” - -“Don’t you worry about that, Ben,” said Jack, “you look better to -us than all the raspberry dumplings going!” and that he voiced the -general feeling was shown by the boys’ hearty, “You bet your life!” - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - - THE BROKEN TRESTLE - - -Never had a day dawned more brightly, never had the skies been bluer -than on the morning of a day a week or so later, to which the Scouts -had looked forward with so much pleasure; and yet it proved to be a -day of disaster. - -The unfortunate happenings had begun with an accident to Mr. Durland. -He had stepped carelessly upon a loose stone, and, his foot slipping, -he had been thrown from his balance, and had rolled and slid down -the steep mountain side. He had grasped at some stout bushes and so -managed to stay his fall until help could reach him. His Troop had -all been thankful enough when at last they had him at the top again -and had found no bones were broken, and that there was apparently no -more serious injury done than some severe bruises. - -Thankful as they were, the accident had affected them all, for there -was not a boy in that Adirondack camp who did not love Mr. Durland. -He had been their Scout-Master ever since the formation of the -Thirty-ninth Troop, and in all that time they had spent together -the Scouts had found nothing in him that the most critical would -have cared to change if he could. His never-failing cheerfulness, -his quick sympathy and full understanding of boy nature, his -hearty praise for work well done or any act that proved the doer a -worthy Scout; the quiet reproof, when reproof could no longer be -withheld--all these traits had endeared their Scout-Master to the -members of the Thirty-ninth. - -So it had been with thankful hearts but subdued spirits that they had -again taken up the trail. - -Then venturesome Tom Binns had foolishly wandered away, and it had -taken an hour of searching before they had located him. - -They had gone on quietly without any other unpleasant incident -and had covered several miles of their hike where there had come -literally “lightning out of a clear sky.” - -One moment the sky had been of clearest blue, the sun shining -brightly. The next the air had been filled with a lurid yellow light. -It had thundered and lightened and, by sheer good fortune, just in -the nick of time, the boys had stumbled upon a refuge formed by three -great rocks piled one against the other. Against and between these -they managed to crowd, but it had offered only meagre protection -from the fury of the storm. Such a storm had never been witnessed -before by any of them. It was preceded by a terrific wind which bent -the saplings to the ground, wrenched up great trees by their roots, -casting them aside like a giant’s discarded playthings. This it had -made the boys’ hearts ache to see, for they had come to love the -trees, and regard them almost as friends. - -Then came the rain, in driving sheets that hid even nearby objects. -It seemed as if the very floodgates of heaven were opened, and that -it poured in “floods that came and came again,” until in every -depression there was a small lake and wherever the ground sloped -downward small rivers ran. - -Not a living thing was to be seen, for every wild creature had taken -refuge from the fury of the storm in its deepest woodland shelter -and nestled there quivering, while still the thunder rolled, the -lightning flashed and the rain came down in torrents. - -Suddenly there was a peculiarly vivid flash, and then a crash that -seemed as if the heavens themselves must be falling, and a tall -oak directly opposite the Scouts’ shelter was riven by lightning. -Straight through the center of the tree the blue fire ran, from -topmost leaf to roots, and the giant parted and fell crashing to the -ground. - -At last, after what seemed a never-ending wait, the deluge was over, -and the Scouts came out of their refuge, stretching their limbs, and -again took up the trail. - -At first their progress was slow, for in every hollow the water lay -so deep that they were forced to abandon the trail and skirt around -it. In more than one place a great tree lay across the trail and they -must either go around or push through the fallen branches. All this -took time and effort, and the boys were tired when they reached a -part of the trail that led outside the woods, where they found the -going much easier. - -Then they reached the river, along whose banks the trail led to -within a mile of the county town, for to purchase some much needed -stores in the village had been the object of this hike. - -Long before they reached the river they could hear its rushing waters -and so were prepared to see it swollen, but the sight which now met -their eyes was beyond anything they had imagined. - -The raging volume of water that came tearing down the river course -was more like some great, swirling cataract than a river. They -remembered how it had looked on the day they came to camp as, -crossing on the trestle which spanned it, they had looked down upon -it from the train, and admired its quiet beauty. Then the blue sky -was mirrored in its quiet depths, now a great mass of whirling, muddy -water, sweeping all before it. - -Recovering a little from their amazement at the sight of the rushing -current, they went on down the trail until the trestle came in sight. -At the first glance they stood as if turned to stone. For several -minutes the Scouts gazed into the faces of one another, and, though -no word was spoken, whole volumes were read in eyes full of alarm and -faces which, despite the stout hearts back of them, were blanched -with fear. - -It had needed only one glance to see it all. On its course down the -valley, the swollen river, overflowing its banks at many places, -had loosened the earth from the roots of many trees growing along -its edge and had borne them along. Several of these had been wedged -against the foundation supports of the trestle and on the farther -side had loosened several of them. This had caused the frame to sag -away from the track, leaving the rails loosened and out of place for -many feet at that end of the trestle, and--appalling thought! the -afternoon express was due in little more than an hour. Is it any -wonder that the thought left the Scouts white and speechless? - -In order to give the alarm to the on-coming train it would be -necessary to cross the river. Ordinarily this would be easy enough, -for here the river had neither great depth nor strong current, but -one glance now at the raging, boiling torrent that had taken the -place of the usually placid river showed that to be dangerous, if not -impossible. - -As the Troop stood there hesitating, trying to decide on the best -thing to do, there was constantly before each one a picture of -the train speeding out on that broken trestle, then falling, its -cars piling up one upon the other, the shrieks and groans of the -injured--Ah, but they must not think of these things! It would make -them unable to plan. That they must do something to save the train -went without saying. No true Scout could stand or had ever stood by -when there was disaster to be prevented or life to be saved. - -“Now, Scouts,” said Mr. Durland in a resolute voice, “here is an -emergency that will test all your training. We must act quickly, or -it will be too late.” - -As he spoke a new thought flashed into his mind and now, looking into -the earnest faces of the Scouts, he saw the thought that was in his -own mind grow in theirs. - -The trestle! But to run along that trestle over the mass of seething, -angry water, when the slightest misstep meant death, to warn the -on-coming train--could he ask or expect such a heroic deed from these -Scouts, the oldest of whom was scarcely more than a boy? He must -consider. - -The wind that had risen to a hurricane before the storm had broken -now began to rise again, and he knew that this would increase the -peril fourfold. What was his duty to these boys? Should he teach them -at this crisis that their first duty was to themselves, or that it -was their great privilege to risk their own lives to save others? - -His decision was made, and, raising his head, he quickly called for a -volunteer. - -Every Scout, to the last man, stood ready! - -Strong man as he was, Mr. Durland felt the tears rush to his eyes, -and he could not speak for a moment for the choking in his throat. -Then he said, “Well, Scouts, I’m proud of every one of you, but you -see you cannot _all_ go.” Then glancing keenly about, he continued: -“I will let you choose your own man. Whom do you think best fitted, -not by courage, for you are _all_ that, but by physical strength and -steadiness of head to undertake this task?” - -And there was but one word spoken, as with but one voice, “Jack!” - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - - THE SAVING OF THE TRAIN - - -Without a word Jack threw off his Scout’s pack and prepared for -his task, but turned to ask what he should do for something with -which to flag the train. Harry French whipped out a large red silk -handkerchief and quickly passed it over. Without a moment’s delay -Jack swung off, with Mr. Durland’s “Take care of yourself, Jack,” and -the good-bye shouts of his fellow Scouts ringing in his ears. - -His companions held their breath as he swung out over the rushing -water. Until now they had failed to notice in the excitement that -the sky had again darkened and that there was every sign of another -downpour. The darkness increased, and again came that terrible rain -in such sheets that, strain their eyes as they would, they could not -see a trace of Jack. - -And now Jack, brave Jack, was all alone in his struggle. Blinded by -the wind and the pouring rain, he could scarcely see one iron girder -of the trestle. Standing with difficulty and swaying dizzily, he -waited until a flash of lightning showed the way before him for one -blinding second. In that second he calculated the distance between -the girders and now crept on from girder to girder over those hungry -waters that seemed to leap at him in an attempt to drag him down into -their raging depths. - -Once he slipped and fell between the girders and for an instant -thought that he was lost, but with cat-like agility he caught at a -projecting beam, and, though the angry waters dashed over him and -sought to break his hold, they could not, and he pulled himself -slowly back to the trestle. - -No standing up now! He had learned the danger of that. On hands and -knees, drenched by rain and river, buffeted by the terrible wind that -tore at him like some living enemy determined on his destruction, he -crawled painfully along inch by inch and foot by foot. - -His hands, torn and bleeding from his desperate attempts to hold onto -the rough iron, almost refused to obey his will. The cold wind and -rain chilled him to the marrow and it was only his strong, determined -will and dauntless heart that held him to his task. - -It seemed to him that he was going so slowly, so terribly slowly, -when there was such need of haste. He must hurry! He told himself -that the short hour before the train was due must already be gone. - -At any moment now he might hear that dreaded whistle and see the -monster train bearing down upon him. What if it should come while he -was still on the trestle? - -For a moment he stopped overwhelmed, controlled only by that physical -fear of death that is common to us all. The thought of going down -into that swirling flood and yielding his young life to those -merciless waves was more than he could bear. Only for a moment did -this thought sway him. Almost instantly the realization that upon him -depended other lives, and that he must hurry if he would hope to save -them restored his courage and banished every thought of self. Again -he crept on, trying to hurry and constantly beaten and held back by -wind and rain. - -On, on, he crept, with bleeding fingers, toward the end of the -trestle. Would he never reach it? The downpour of rain lessened, and -it grew lighter. He strained his eyes, and, yes! there before him, -only a few yards distant now, was the end of the bridge and beyond -it, wet rails glistening, the track stretched away. - -Rising to his feet, Jack looked eagerly, searchingly along that -track. Nothing in sight, he told himself exultingly. He was going to -be in time! - -The storm was over now, and in the clearer light he hurried along, -his bleeding hands and bruised knees forgotten in the joyful thought -that he was going to succeed--but at this moment there was a terrible -crash and noise of breaking and splintering wood, and he stood -transfixed at the sight before him. - -The end of the trestle the entire width across had given way and -fallen with a crash and now lay, a broken mass of wreckage, half on -land and half in water. An open space about six feet wide yawned -between Jack and the bank. - -Not very much space, you think, for an agile Boy Scout trained in -all sorts of athletics to cover; and, ordinarily, that would have -been so. But now the ground under and beside the tracks was soft and -yielding from the rain and, to make the task of jumping still more -difficult, the mass of wreckage served as a dam and the water flowed -out over the roadbed, making it impossible to calculate the leap. - -Our Scout stood there for a long minute trying to decide what to do. -If it had been only his own life that he had to consider, he would -not have hesitated a second, but he had to reflect that if lost there -would be no one to warn the express, which must now be very close at -hand. - -Whatever he did he must do quickly. He glanced around keenly, but -could see nothing to aid him. Desperate, he looked again. Ah, yes! -There, a foot or so beneath where he was standing, he saw a beam of -wood projecting from the water. Jack could only see a few feet of it, -for the rest of it was under water, but it was his only chance and he -took it unhesitatingly. Drawing off his shoes that his feet might get -a better grip, he stepped down upon it and felt his way cautiously -along until he came to the broken end of the beam. Knowing that he -had gained several feet, he now leaped out over the flood. As he -jumped, he leaned far forward, and it was well he did, for as his -feet touched the soft earth, it slid from under them and it was only -by grasping at the rails that he kept himself from slipping backward -into the water. - -Hurrah! he was on firm ground at last, and all else was forgotten in -the triumph. - -Toot! Toot! T-o-o-t! It was the whistle of the express. He was just -in time. He dashed up the track toward the on-coming train with the -speed of an arrow. He had sore need now of all his athletic training -and ran as he had never run before. There around the bend, about a -fourth of a mile away, appeared the express, ten minutes behindhand, -and in consequence putting on extra speed. - -Jack planted himself firmly in the middle of the track and waved the -red danger signal to and fro, his heart singing with joy. He expected -to see the express slow down, but to his amazement it did nothing of -the kind. They did not seem to see him! - -What should he do? The train, with the broken trestle ahead of it, -must not be allowed to take that awful plunge. He must stop it! - -He waved the red flag more frantically than before, but still the -train, unheeding, came on. Two minutes more and it would be upon -him. Now came the supreme test of his Scout training. Would he fail? - -Lightning quick he thought and decided. Springing from the track, he -caught up a rock, and, as the train came abreast of him, hurled it -through the window of the cab. Then, well nigh exhausted as he was, -he ran along by the side of the track. - -As the train sped by him he heard startled exclamations and shouted -oaths mingled with the sound of the breaking glass. He caught a -glimpse of the engineer face thrust from the cab window, and once -more he frantically waved the red flag. - -At last, at last, he heard the grinding and whistling of the -air-brakes as the express began to slow down. So great had been its -speed that its momentum carried it on even when all steam had been -shut off and the air-brakes applied. - -The engineer and fireman, now fully aware of some terrible danger, -feared the train could not be stopped in time. With bated breath -they waited, while nearer and nearer crept that awful gap. On, on, -went the great locomotive until within two scant feet of the broken -trestle when, with whistling brakes and grinding wheels, it came to a -full stop. - -From cab and car people poured, gathering around Jack, whose white -face, bleeding hands and clothing torn almost in shreds told their -own story of the terrible ordeal through which he had just passed. - -As it happened, there were several wealthy mine owners on the train -going up into the Adirondacks to verify a report of a rich vein in -that locality. With them was the superintendent of the road, likewise -interested in the mining project. His family, consisting of his wife, -his married daughter and her husband and their two young children, -were also of the party. It was for their accommodation that a most -luxuriously furnished private car had been added to the regular -train, and very soon Jack, quite restored, found himself sitting in a -wonderfully comfortable chair, and the center of attraction. - -With keenest interest all listened to his account of the storm in the -mountains and as, in answer to their many questions, they drew from -him the story of the crossing of the trestle, their hearts glowed -with gratitude to the brave Boy Scout who had done so much for them. -They quickly made up a purse, and the superintendent of the road -presented it to Jack, saying, “This is from the passengers, for they -recognize the great debt you have placed upon them, and I can say for -the road itself that it will be quick to recognize in a substantial -way the service you have rendered it.” - -Jack drew back, and firmly refused to accept the reward, first of all -because he did not wish it, and second because it is against Scout -rules to accept a reward for any such service. When the passengers -saw how determined he was in the matter, their admiration knew no -bounds, and if Jack had not been as strong minded as we know him to -be, it is to be feared that he would have grown conceited. - -The superintendent soon gave orders to the engineer to make best -speed in backing the train to the county town, only a mile or two -away, and there Jack alighted, and after a short wait was joined by -the rest of the Troop, who had gained the town by means of a bridge -which had withstood the storm some miles down the river. - - - - - CHAPTER XV - - A STRANGE DUEL - - -Lounging in all sorts of careless attitudes around the campfire that -evening, the boys were playing with Don. That exuberant animal was -an unfailing source of delight. No matter how much he had tramped -through the day, he was always ready for a frolic with the boys. All -of them were fond of him and since he had led the Scouts to the cave -and saved the lives of Jack and Tom just when the situation seemed -most desperate, he had become the idol of the camp. He was constantly -learning new tricks and perfecting those he had. Now he rolled over -and over, turned somersaults, stood on his hind legs and marched as -a soldier, stretched himself out and played dead and went through -all his extensive stock of tricks. Nor did he do it as a matter of -obedience to the shout of a command, but took as much delight in -it as did the boys themselves. It was easily seen that he thought -himself as important as any Scout in camp and there were times, it -must be said, when the boys agreed with him. - -Now as he barked joyfully and leaped and ran from one to another, Ben -remarked, “Well, there’s no use talking, there’s something wrong -with a man who doesn’t love a good dog!” - -“Right you are!” said Tom, who, since Don had saved his life, had -redoubled his affection for the dog. “They’re the finest animals in -the world.” - -“Yes,” said Jack, while Don squatted on his haunches and looked in -his eyes adoringly, “they’re the most faithful and affectionate -beasts on earth. They’ll never go back on you, no matter what -happens. You’re just the same to them whether you have a dollar or a -million; whether you’re a helpless outcast or the President of the -United States. There aren’t many human friends that will stick by you -everywhere in foul weather as well as fair weather, but a dog always -will. He will trot along with you; he’ll fight for you; he’ll forgive -all your impatience and ill-treatment, and he wouldn’t hesitate a -moment to give up his life to save yours. They’re noble fellows, -sure enough, aren’t they, old dog?” as he fondled the shaggy head -caressingly. - -“And they’re so intelligent,” said Pete. “They’ll follow a trail -anywhere. You may try to cover up your tracks by all sorts of tricks, -by walking backward in your footsteps, by running along fences or -jumping from rock to rock, but although you may confuse them, they’ll -stick to it until soon or late they pick up the trail again. The -only way to fool them utterly is to take to the water and wade -through it, but even then you have got to head for land sooner or -later and the chances are they’ll get you. You know how hard it used -to be in the old slave-holding days for a runaway to escape. I’ve -heard that in some of the places of Europe--Belgium I think--trained -dogs are a regular part of the police force and a most important part -too, if you believe all that is told about them.” - -“Well,” said Dick Crawford, who, after discharging some of the -routine duties of the camp, had joined the group, “I know of a famous -case that shows both those qualities of the dog, his affection and -his intelligence. It all happened four hundred years ago and yet it -is so interesting and remarkable that the story has lived all this -time.” - -The boys clamored to hear it and Dick went on: - -“There was a young man in Paris, we’ll call him Aubrey for short, -of good birth and breeding and moving in the gay world of fashion. -He had a large circle of friends and owned a magnificent greyhound. -It was a splendid brute, whom people turned about to watch as he -followed his master through the streets. - -“One day there was a great tournament in Paris, a very gay and -splendid occasion, and his friends were surprised to see that Aubrey -wasn’t there. They thought this was strange because he had counted -very much on this coming event and had shown the greatest interest -in it. Still they thought that something had detained him, but when -on the second and third days he was also absent, they began to be -worried about him. - -“On the fourth morning a great friend of Aubrey, whom we’ll call De -Narsac, heard a scratching at his door. He arose and found there his -friend’s greyhound. The poor brute was wounded and had evidently -been without food for days, so that his ribs almost showed through -his flesh. De Narsac gave him food that he ate as famished. The -appearance of the dog in such a condition deepened his suspicions -that harm had come to his friend. The dog kept running about the -apartment, whining and looking at him imploringly and plainly asking -him to follow. Convinced now that something was wrong, he hastily -dressed and followed him through the streets of Paris. The dog led -him without a moment’s hesitation several miles out into the country -through a forest that had a bad reputation as a resort for thieves -and outlaws. Coming to some freshly disturbed earth under a great oak -tree, he fell upon it and began scratching and whining pitifully. De -Narsac and some friends he had brought with him began to dig and soon -uncovered the murdered body of Aubrey. - -“On their return to the city, they met a group of young men on one of -the main streets. As soon as the dog caught sight of one of them he -growled furiously, crouching and then leaped at the man’s throat. The -courtier, whom we’ll call Macaire, beat off the dog with the help of -his friends, but the greyhound made unavailing efforts to renew the -attack. - -“The sudden fury of the dog aroused suspicion and a little quiet -investigation showed that sometime before there had been a bitter -quarrel between Aubrey and Macaire. - -“The matter came to the ears of the King, who determined to sift the -matter to the bottom. He gave a great function in the royal palace -and so managed that Macaire with a dozen other courtiers stood in a -group at the right hand of the throne. By previous arrangement, De -Narsac entered, accompanied by the greyhound, who, the instant his -eye caught sight of Macaire, made a tremendous bound and bore him -to the floor. It seemed to the King and all present that Providence -had pointed out Aubrey’s murderer. Macaire denied it violently but, -in accordance with the ideas of the time, it was arranged that the -matter should be left to the judgment of heaven. In other words, the -dog and the man were to fight a duel. It was supposed that eternal -justice and wisdom would select the winner. If the dog won, the -murderer of Aubrey stood revealed. If, on the other hand, Macaire -came out victor, he was to be adjudged innocent. - -“A duel between a man and a dog!” exclaimed Ben who, with the other -boys, had listened breathlessly to Dick’s story. “That doesn’t seem -fair. How could they fix it so that each would have an even show?” - -“Well,” said Dick, “perhaps it wouldn’t be possible to make a thing -of that kind exactly fair and even between a man and a dog, but they -figured it out and made it as fair as they could. The man was armed -with a heavy club and the dog had to rely upon his teeth and claws. A -barrel was provided for him, in which he could take refuge when too -hard pressed and get ready to renew the attack. - -“The affair came off before a tremendous crowd. All the leading -people of Paris and the court were present. The instant the dog was -brought in he tugged at the leash and being freed, leaped at his -enemy. Macaire fought with the fury of despair; but the consciousness -of guilt unnerved him and most of his blows beat the air. The dog -returned again and again to the attack and, finally, leaping through -Macaire’s guard, caught him by the throat and threw him to the -ground. He shrieked for help and confessed his guilt. Justice was -keen and quick in those days, and that very night Macaire was led out -to execution. The dog had avenged his master.” - -The Scouts drew a long breath as Dick finished his exciting story -and Pete ejaculated, “Well, that certainly was some dog!” - -“They thought so at the time,” said Dick, “and put up a monument to -him that can be seen even now.” - -“Well,” said Jack, turning to Don, “you’re not so big and strong as -that great greyhound, old fellow, but I bet you know as much, and -no matter what happened to any of us, you would stand by us to the -very end. Wouldn’t you, Don?” and Don, looking eloquently into his -master’s eyes, wig-wagged, “Yes!” - - - - - CHAPTER XVI - - TOO LATE! - - -The morning of the last day of the month dawned bright and clear. - -The day before, Harry, as he had promised Crawford he would do, had -come over to the Boy Scout camp and had a long talk with Mr. Durland. -Flannigan had not come back from his prospecting trip nor had they -heard from him in any way. The only conjecture was that he had been -delayed longer than he had expected, but had probably planned his -return so as to stop at the junction point to receive the express -package that always arrived for him on the last day of the month in -order to meet the payroll, and from there would drive over to the -logging camp. - -It was absolutely necessary that somebody should reach there before -the arrival of the train in order to give him ample warning, and let -him make his arrangements accordingly. Jack was selected as best -fitted for that important duty and immediately after breakfast he -started off for the Junction. - -He gave himself plenty of time. It would not do to take any risk -when theft was in the air and when possibly a life also depended -upon his getting there before the train. The distance from the Boy -Scout camp to the Junction was about five miles as the crow flies. -If he had been able to go by the road, he could easily have made it -in a little over an hour. The path, however, lay chiefly through -the woods and there were brooks to be crossed and occasional hills -to be climbed and for all this Jack had to make allowances. Thanks -to the efforts of the Boy Scout Pathfinders, the district had been -thoroughly surveyed and rough paths indicated, and as Jack himself -had been in the thick of this exploring, he had a perfectly clear -idea of the shortest and easiest way to get there. - -The train was due at the Junction at ten thirty-five. Usually it -was behind time. It ran on a little spur jutting off from the main -road. It was a single narrow-gauge track, with only one train each -way every day. It carried both freight and passengers and stopped, -as its patrons sometimes grumbled, at “every dog kennel” on the way. -The chances were that it would be late, but then again on this one -occasion it might happen to be on time and Jack could take no risks. -He figured that, with all the roughness of the road, he could make -the distance easily in two hours. He gave himself an extra hour and a -half, however, to allow for any possible hindrance and left camp at -about seven o’clock. - -It was a splendid morning. A slight haze tempered the heat of the -sun and made walking a delight. As Jack swung into his stride, the -charm of the morning took possession of him. The full tide of youth -and strength ran through his brain. The balsam of the woods filled -his nostrils. The woods were full of life. Birds sang in the trees -overhead. He caught glimpses of chipmunks and squirrels gliding -through the bushes and occasionally crossing the path. It was good to -be alive, and it seemed scarcely possible that on such a day robbers -and murderers were abroad and the possibility of a crime near at hand. - -As this last thought came to him his step quickened. He didn’t -anticipate any danger in his mission, and yet his blood was stirred -by the possibilities that lurked in the day’s work. He had no idea -that he himself would be concerned in it or come face to face with -the robbers. - -What he had to do after all was perfectly simple. He only had to -warn Flannigan and he knew enough of that individual to have perfect -confidence in him. He was sure that the big, burly Irishman could -easily hold his own if it came to a tussle. But there would be no -tussle. He was sure of that. All the foreman had to do was to take no -chances in going by the main road, but to take a less traveled path, -rough, to be sure, but over which a horse could be driven, and thus -reach the camp. It was a much longer road, but in this case at least -the old proverb was true that “the longest way around is the shortest -way home.” - -He had no doubt that Flannigan would be at the station. No matter how -important his business might have been, he would never let pay-day go -by without turning up in camp. That was the one unwritten law of the -logging camps that was like the laws of the Medes and the Persians -and could not be broken. The rough characters that Flannigan had to -deal with in their hard-worked and narrow lives looked forward all -through the month to that one day of the pay envelope. To be sure, -the money didn’t last long when they got it. A big spree in the -county town usually followed and, after a day or two of gambling and -drunkenness, the men stumbled back to the camp and began to work -for another month, and dream of the next pay-day. They were quick -tempered at the best, would listen to no argument or explanation and -only the sight of the money would appease them. If Flannigan did not -turn up at the camp that day, there would be a riot, and nobody knew -this better than Flannigan himself. Therefore he was sure to be on -hand. - -While Jack was thus pressing steadily forward, two men lay in a clump -of bushes alongside the road about half way between the Junction and -the logging camp. They had chosen another place than that on which -they had first determined. They felt a vague uneasiness regarding -the Boy Scouts. While the sudden appearance of Don had given rise to -some misgivings, they had not been sure that they had been overheard. -They had missed Dick on his trip to the logging camp to give warning -and though after that day they had kept a sharp lookout, they had -seen no proof of any communication from the Boy Scouts to the lumber -camp. As a matter of fact, on the strict injunction of Mr. Durland, -the Scouts had kept carefully away from that section since that day. -Still on the mere chance they had thought to “make assurance doubly -sure,” and had picked upon a new location where, squatting in the -bushes, they waited the coming of Flannigan. - -The intervening days spent in wandering about the woods and brooding -over their plot had not improved their appearance. They were unshaven -and unkempt, and their clothes hung on them in tatters. But if their -appearance was bad, their tempers were still worse. Their rankling -bitterness and hatred of all society had turned them into wild beasts. - -“Curse him!” growled Red, as O’Brien was called, “we’ll settle his -hash this time!” - -“Yes,” returned Lavine. “By gar, I get even with zat man to-day if I -swing for it!” - -“We’ve got to be pretty keerful,” said Red. “He’s a moighty handy man -with his fists, begorra!” - -“His feests I fear not,” replied Lavine. “What are his feests against -zis knife?” and he ran his hand significantly across the razor edge -on an evil-looking hunting knife. “Do you zink he weel hev a pistol?” - -“No fear uv that,” said Red. “He’s too cock-sure of himself.” - -Just at the turning of the road they had felled a tree and with true -woodmen’s skill had arranged it so that some of the heavier branches -lay across the road. They thought that Flannigan, on reaching the -obstruction, would be forced to get down from the wagon in order to -remove it and clear a path. While he was bending over, they planned -to spring upon him from behind with their clubs. Taken by surprise, -they figured that he would be helpless in their hands. The knives -they held as a last resort. Their thought of vengeance went no -further than to give the prostrate man a terrible beating and perhaps -maim him for life. It would be safer than actually murdering him and -the pursuit was likely to be less keen than if they had killed their -man. Yet their knives were there and in a pinch neither one would -have flinched from using them should it come to that. - -“He’ll soon be here now,” said Red, looking at the sun. - -Lavine responded with a growl and an oath, and the two outlaws drew -their belts tighter and waited for the coming of their prey. - -In the meanwhile Jack had caught sight of the Junction from the -brow of the last hill. His watch told him that he had an hour and a -half to spare and he knew that he could easily make the distance in -fifteen minutes, leaving plenty of time. He stepped out briskly and -came to the edge of a little brook. It was only about a foot deep and -there were stepping-stones leading from one bank to the other. As he -neared the farther bank, a round stone slipped from under him and he -plunged forward, striking his head against a tree stump on the edge -of the brook. The world swam around him and then his senses left him. - -How long he lay there he never knew. When he opened his eyes he -looked around bewildered. His legs were wet to the waist where he had -lain in the brook. He carried his hand to his forehead that ached -horribly and when he withdrew it, found it covered with blood. Where -was he? What had happened? - -As he staggered to his feet the thought of his mission came to him. -How late was it? He looked at the sun. It seemed much higher in the -heavens. Could it be possible that he was too late for the train? He -glanced at his watch. It was no longer going. The force with which -he had fallen had stopped it and the hands marked nine thirteen. He -remembered that a few minutes before his fall it had been nine eight. -How long had he lain there? - -Suddenly a thrill ran through his veins. Over the hill came the -shrill whistle of a locomotive. It must be the train that Flannigan -was to meet. There wasn’t any other that morning. Could he possibly -be in time? He knew that it would take him at least fifteen minutes, -doing his best, to get there. The train would get to the station in -less than five,--might be there now. Even yet, he told himself, he -might be in time! Perhaps there would be a car to be shifted on a -siding. Even after the train had gone, Flannigan might stop for a -chat and gossip with the station agent. There might be some delay in -signing for the express package. A dozen things might happen to help -him. At least he might get near enough to wave his arms and attract -attention. - -While these thoughts rushed through his mind, now clearing from -the effects of the fall, he had struggled to his feet and started -dizzily on his way. At first he staggered, but with every step he -felt himself getting stronger. Only a little part of the remaining -distance was up a slight ascent but after that it would be easy -sailing. All the way from that to the station would be down hill. - -A groan passed from his lips as he reached the brow of the hill, half -a mile from the Junction. The train had reached the station, let -off a single passenger and, grunting and groaning, was just pulling -out. Alongside the platform was a buckboard drawn by an old white -horse. Holding the reins was a thick-set, sturdy figure, whom he -recognized as Flannigan. Jack shouted but they could not hear him at -that distance. He blew his Scout’s whistle but still there was no -sign. He ran on, waving his hands wildly. Their backs were to him -and no one saw him. A solitary passenger stepped into the buckboard, -Flannigan gathered up the reins, the old white horse started off and -disappeared around a turn of the road just as Jack rushed up to the -station. - -He was too late! - - - - - CHAPTER XVII - - JACK’S RUN FOR LIFE - - -Too late! The horrible truth flashed across him as he flung himself -on the platform, unable to speak and almost unable to breathe. He had -failed! He had been entrusted with that mission and he had failed. A -life, perhaps two lives now, could have been saved by a word from him -and he had failed! The picture of the men jogging quietly along the -road on that beautiful morning without a thought or dream of danger, -going to a certain robbery and perhaps to death came before him. He -put his hands over his eyes and groaned aloud. - -What would Mr. Durland say? What would the Scouts say? Above all, -what would his own conscience say to the last day of his life? He had -never yet fallen short in any important mission and now on this day -of all days he had come miserably short, and he felt that he could -never forgive himself as long as he lived. - -How bitterly he blamed his carelessness in crossing the brook! Of -course it was an accident, and after it had happened he had done his -best to remedy it. But why had the accident happened? Why had he -not been more careful? Why had he trusted that treacherous stone in -crossing the brook? His heart swelled up in bitter self-reproach. But -what was the use of that now? That wouldn’t save a life. He was too -late! - -But _was_ he too late? The thought came to him like an electric shock -and roused him from his despair. How did he know but what he might -yet save them? While there was life, there was hope. Was he, Jack -Danby, to lie there like a coward and give up supinely while lives -hung in the balance? No, a thousand times no! He sprang to his feet, -pushed through the door and rushed into the little office. - -The station agent, a long, lanky native of the woods, was sitting -with his back to him, looking over the orders left him by the -conductor. His back was to Jack, but at his tumultuous entrance he -sprang to his feet in alarm. Jack’s appearance was not prepossessing. -His forehead was still covered with clotted blood, his hat was gone, -his eyes were blazing. Less than that might have startled the agent, -used to the slow and quiet ways of that isolated spot. For one brief -moment he thought of a hold-up. In a moment he had slammed the cash -drawer shut and reached for a pistol that lay on his desk. A second -glance, however, showed him that it was no robbery he had to fear. - -“Tell me,” gasped Jack, “can I get a horse around here anywhere?” - -“Why, no, son,” replied the agent. “There isn’t anything less than a -mile from here and that old plug ain’t no good. He’s too lazy even to -switch the flies off him. What do you want him for?” - -In quick, broken sentences Jack told him the danger. The station -agent became grave and frightened. “And Mr. Scott is with him too,” -he said. “That was him as got off the train and drove off with -Flannigan. He has come up to look over affairs at the logging camp. -He ain’t very husky, and I don’t know what would happen to him if it -came to a scrap. Flannigan’s all right, but ’tain’t at all likely he -can beat off two men if they take him by surprise. There ain’t no -telegraph station down here and there ain’t no telephone, either, in -these woods. What on earth are we going to do?” - -Jack thought quickly. His brain never worked more swiftly than when -in the midst of danger. There was nothing to hope for from the -station agent. He put his head in his hands and tried to think. - -Suddenly he remembered. - -The road was hilly and roundabout, the horse was old and staid and -would probably go along just at a jog trot. He had noticed that they -had driven away slowly. Mr. Scott would have a lot to talk about on -matters connected with the camp, and they would be so engrossed in -talking that the old horse could jog along at his own gait. Could he -not intercept them? - -A great deal of work had been done near the station by the young -pathfinders. Among other things, they had made a rough survey of a -proposed path that, starting near the Junction, had led almost in a -straight line to a point five miles distant, where it struck the road -along which Flannigan was driving. At intervals of half a mile they -had set up stakes with fluttering cloths tied to them, to mark the -most easily traveled path between the two points. He happened to know -that the work had been done well. He himself had led the squad that -planted the stakes and remembered clearly the general directions. If -he could only run across country and get to the main road, he might -beat Flannigan to it despite the heavy handicap. In all the games of -hares and hounds he had been easily the central figure. When with the -hares he had rarely been captured; when with the hounds he had always -brought a hare back captive. Now was the time to show his speed. If -he could do this much in games merely, what ought he to do when lives -were at stake? - -An instant later the astonished station agent saw Jack bolt out of -the station, running like a frightened rabbit. The ground flew away -under him; the wind sang in his ears; his heart was beating like a -trip hammer. Lives hung on his speed that day, and he would win or -die trying. - -The terrific pace at which he started soon began to tell and now that -he was fairly on his way, he had time to think. He was going the pace -that kills, and he realized that he must husband his speed. There -was no use throwing the game away at the very start. At the rate he -was now going, he would be blown before he had made a mile, and five -good miles lay before him. So while his instinct pushed him on at top -speed, his judgment began to get the upper hand. He must hold himself -in, he must watch the path, he must save his strength. He fell into a -swift lope that carried him over the ground with great rapidity, but -still left him strength in reserve. He must keep that reserve until -the last minute. - -One pole marking a half mile flew by, then two, three, four. Two -miles already covered! Only three yet to go. His legs began to tire, -but his wind was good. Another pole and still another. Three miles -now! He began to pant. His chest was straining, his breath was -labored. He knew that he had reached the end of his first spurt, but -he also knew that this was only temporary. - -Another half mile and he had gotten his second wind. Now he felt as -though he could run all day. He threw off his coat, his kit, his -hatchet. Everything that could possibly hinder him he shed as he went -along. He wasn’t going to carry an extra ounce. Another pole went by. -He dashed through a brook and dipped his head under for a moment; -then, refreshed and dripping, he ran on. Oh, if he were only in time! - -His clean life and strong vitality were helping him. If he had spent -his strength in excesses, he would have been absolutely helpless in -this great emergency, but young, untainted life surged in him. He -called on all his resources and they responded. - -Four miles now! Another pole and only a half mile more! The main road -was in sight. On and on he flew. Now he was within a few rods. He -caught a glimpse of a white horse, with Mr. Scott holding the reins -and Flannigan getting down to remove the branches of a tree that -blocked the path. The next instant he dashed into the road just in -time to see Red O’Brien fling himself upon Flannigan who was bending -over the tree, while Jacques Lavine with uplifted cudgel rushed -toward Mr. Scott. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII - - BALKED OF THEIR PREY - - -Though taken by surprise, Flannigan was a man of ready resource -and tremendous strength. His life had been spent among the rough -men of the woods, where muscle and courage were constantly called -into play. Again and again he had come to hand grips with some of -the wild characters of the district and he had always come out with -flying colors. He had a reputation throughout the North Woods as a -rough-and-tumble fighter. His heart was as stout as his arms, as many -a lumberjack filled with drink and ferocity had found to his cost. - -At this supreme moment his long experience stood him in good stead. -The warning shout of Mr. Scott, as the robbers rushed forth from the -thicket, told him of instant danger, and he turned so swiftly that -Red, instead of leaping upon his back, as he had intended, met him -face to face. Before he could swing his cudgel, the hairy arms of -Flannigan closed around him. - -Back and forth the giants struggled, their eyes glaring, each trying -to get at the other’s throat. Sheer strength and courage must decide -that battle. They surged back and forth, their muscles stretched to -the utmost. At first the result hung in the balance. Neither gained a -decided advantage. All their passions were unleashed. Red fought for -his liberty and Flannigan for his life. Neither one thought of giving -in. Neither intended to give any quarter. They were more like wild -beasts than men. - -As Lavine lifted his cudgel to strike Mr. Scott, the latter dropped -the reins and, snatching the whip from the socket, swung the heavy -butt on the robber’s shoulder. With a savage curse Lavine dropped his -cudgel, and at that instant Jack hurled himself upon him and bore him -to the ground. - -They rolled over and over like a pair of wild-cats. Lavine was the -stronger, but Jack the quicker. The ruffian tried to get his great, -gnarled hands on Jack’s throat, but his agile adversary eluded his -attempt at a strangle hold. With muttered oaths Lavine tried again -and again, but suddenly finding this unavailing, his hand went down -to his belt and Jack knew he was feeling for his knife. Now indeed it -was a fight for life. If the maddened wretch could get that knife out -of its sheath, all would be over. Jack redoubled his efforts, but the -tremendous strain was beginning to tell. Had he been fresh, he might -have had an even chance and his agility might have proved a match for -the Frenchman’s strength. Slowly but surely he felt the knife being -drawn up inch by inch. He grasped the knife hand and twisted it with -all his might. Into that twist he put all the power of his young and -well trained strength. With a howl of pain and rage, Lavine shifted -his knife to his other hand. Jack felt the wrist he was twisting -snap, then the knife in the other hand gleamed before his eyes and -the knife fell once, twice. Jack felt a keen pain like a red-hot iron -flash through his shoulder. He heard the yell of the Scouts as Dick -and Tom rushed through the bushes and flung themselves upon Lavine. -His grasp relaxed, his head was strangely light, the trees danced -around him, he felt that he was sinking, sinking ten thousand fathoms -deep, and then for the second time that day he lost consciousness. - -When he came to himself, he was lying on a litter that the Scouts -had hastily constructed. His shoulder had been deftly bandaged and, -as he opened his eyes, they fell upon Mr. Durland, Mr. Scott, Dick -and the other Scouts crowding around him. At a little distance were -the two robbers waiting for the wagon that Flannigan had sent for to -the camp to carry them to the county jail. All the fight had gone -out of them. Dick and Tom, together with Mr. Scott, had disarmed and -overpowered Lavine, and he now sat nursing his wounded wrist and -cursing horribly. Red was lying on the ground, bruised and dazed, -where Flannigan with one mighty twist had thrown him and, falling -upon him, choked him until he begged for mercy. - -“Thank God!” said Mr. Durland, his voice broken with emotion. “He’s -coming around all right!” - -“Yes,” murmured Jack, smiling faintly, “I guess I’m worth a dozen -dead men yet.” - -“Sure yez are,” said Flannigan, his massive frame yet panting with -his exertions. “It’s a broth of a b’y yez are, and ’tis glad and -proud I’d be if I had a son like yez! Sure, ’tis a fighter yez are, -by the powers! It takes no baby to tackle Jacques Lavine. And don’t -yez be worrying about that knife play,” he said, turning to the -group. “There’s nothing bad’ll come of that. ’Twill keep him in bed a -day or two perhaps, but nothing worse than that.” - -Mr. Scott came forward and put his hand on Jack’s forehead. “My boy,” -he said, “I don’t know how to thank you. You saved my money to-day -but that was a little thing. You saved my life as well, and I shall -never forget it. If ever you need a friend or help of any kind, call -on me! You’ve put me in your debt for life.” - -“Oh, that was nothing,” said Jack, “I only did my duty. It was only a -little thing after all. Anybody else would have done as much.” - -He tried to lift himself as he spoke, but Mr. Durland stopped him -instantly. - -“No, you don’t,” he said, with a smile. “You’re not going to stand -on your feet to-day or for several days. You’re going right over to -the camp. Mr. Scott has sent to the county town for a doctor and he -will be there before evening. You’re going to ride in state to-day, -Jack, as befits a hero. Who’ll volunteer,” he said, turning to the -Scouts, “to carry this litter?” - -Who would volunteer? The boys almost fought for the honor. They -crowded around him in wild excitement. They had always admired him, -but to-day they fairly idolized him. Mr. Durland had to settle the -matter by arranging for relays, so that all might have a chance to -carry him, and the boys picked out for the first relay were the -object of envy to the other fellows. - -It was a joyful, if rather subdued, party that carried Jack back -to the camp that day. They took the utmost care to avoid the rough -places, so that there might be no shock to the wounded shoulder. -When they got him there, the first bandages were removed, the wound -was carefully washed and dressed and Jack was put to bed. Toward -evening the doctor arrived and his examination confirmed the opinion -of Flannigan. The knife had missed any vital spot, had touched no -arteries and, with the good care and nursing that Jack was sure to -get, he would be all right again in two or three days. - -“You see, old boy,” said Dick Crawford as he sat by Jack’s bedside -the following day, “it was like this. We knew the place that those -fellows had fixed on to waylay Flannigan, from what we overheard in -the woods. Although we felt sure that you would get to the train in -time, we thought it better to take no chances and made up our minds -to be on hand. We could not go too close for fear of being seen, and -so we lay behind some bushes a little way off. Of course we didn’t -know that they had changed their plans, so when the real rumpus came, -we were farther off than we expected to be. We ran--how we ran! I -never made such time in my life before. If we had only got there a -minute sooner, you wouldn’t be lying on your bed to-day.” - -“That’s all right, old fellow,” said Jack. “I know how gladly any one -of you fellows would have risked your lives to save mine. But all’s -well that ends well, and I’m mighty glad I’m alive.” - -“And so are we!” came with a shout from outside the tent where the -boys were gathered, fearing to disobey the doctor’s orders to keep -Jack quiet, if they had crowded in as they had wanted to. “Three -cheers for Jack!” and they gave them with a will. - -The next few days came and went quickly. The time had come for -breaking camp and most of the boys had been compelled reluctantly to -go back to town. The life-giving air of the woods, combined with the -careful nursing of Dick and Tom, who had remained behind to take -care of him, had worked wonders for Jack. His splendid vitality and -will power had assisted nature, and the morning came when, strong and -well, he too bade farewell to the Adirondack camp. - -“I tell you what, fellows,” he said, as they stood upon the station -waiting for their train, “I never had such a delightful as well as -exciting time as I’ve had this summer and I don’t believe I will ever -have anything in the future that comes up to it.” - - - - - [Illustration] - - =Delivered to You Free= - - You will surely find a bicycle to suit your needs among the =44 - styles=, colors and sizes of the famous =Ranger= line. There is a - “Mead” bicycle to suit the taste of every rider--a wide variety of - colors, sizes and many options as to style in equipment. They are - all pictured in _actual colors_ in the big new Ranger catalog which - we want to send you now. 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It tells “the reason why” simply, plainly and fully so - the child may understand. - - IT IS A VERITABLE ENCYCLOPEDIA, ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT ARISE - DAILY IN THE HOME. - - Why - do we dream? - - What is thunder? - - What makes the rainbow? - - Why do sea-shells “roar”? - - Why is the sea salt? - - Why are the lips red? - - Why have fish - fins? - - “Armed with this little manual, which is admirably indexed and - profusely illustrated, one could face the most inquisitive stranger - or even his infant son with perfect equanimity.”--San Francisco - Chronicle - - - BOUND IN CLOTH, POSTPAID PRICE 25c - BOUND IN LEATHER, POSTPAID PRICE 50c - - - The SAALFIELD PUBLISHING CO - AKRON, OHIO - - - - - RALPH MARLOWE - - A Tale of the Buckeye State - - By - - DR. JAMES BALL NAYLOR - Author of “THE SIGN OF THE PROPHET” - - - “There is an atmosphere about the story of RALPH MARLOWE--the - picturesque atmosphere of quiet, rustic southeastern Ohio, and - there is an equal measure of delicious humor and delicate pathos - about it also. - - _Get this novel and read it--The time will be well spent._” - - --_North American, Philadelphia._ - - - “Dr. Naylor has constructed a very readable story. He has been - remarkably successful in transferring to the canvas of fiction Ohio - farmers and village folk, and the story is worthy to take its place - beside the best of those written in recent years which take as - their particular task the picturing of life in rural districts.” - - _American Monthly Reviews of Reviews._ - - - Handsomely bound in bright red cloth, gold lettered, emblematic - cover design in white and gold. 12 mo. 75cts. - - THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING - COMPANY * * * Akron, Ohio - - - - - _FICTION FOR GIRLS_ - - - BETTY, The SCRIBE - - _By_ LILIAN TURNER - - _Drawings by_ KATHARINE HAYWARD GREENLAND - - Betty is a brilliant, talented, impulsive seventeen-year-old girl, - who is suddenly required to fill her mother’s place at the head of - a household, with a literary, impractical father to manage. - - Betty writes, too, and every time she mounts her Pegasus disaster - follows for home duties are neglected. Learning of one of these - lapses, her elder sister comes home. Betty storms and refuses to - share the honors until she remembers that this means long hours - free to devote to her beloved pen. She finally moves to the city to - begin her career in earnest, and then--well, then comes the story. - - “Miss Turner is Miss Alcott’s true successor. The same healthy, - spirited tone is visible which boys and girls recognized in LITTLE - MEN and LITTLE WOMEN.”--_The Bookman_ - - CLOTH, 12mo, illustrated-- =$1.00= - - - Elizabeth Hobart at Exeter Hall - - _By_ JEAN K. BAIRD - - _Illustrated by_ R. G. VOSBURGH - - A spirited story of every-day boarding-school life that girls like - to read. Full of good times and girlish fun. - - Elizabeth enters the school and loses no time in becoming one of - the leading spirits. She entertains at a midnight spread, which is - recklessly conducted under the very nose of the preceptress, who is - “scalped” in order to be harmless, for every one knows she would - never venture out minus her front hair; she champions an ostracized - student; and leads in a daring plan to put to rout the Seniors’ - program for class day. - - CLOTH, 12mo, illustrated-- =$1.00= - - Books sent postpaid on receipt of price. - - - _The Saalfield Publishing Co._, - AKRON, OHIO - - - - - [Illustration] [Illustration] - - - _The_ - - BILLY WHISKERS SERIES - - BY - - FRANCES TREGO MONTGOMERY - - Billy Whiskers--frolicsome, mischief-making, adventure-loving Billy - Whiskers--is the friend of every boy and girl the country over, - and the things that happen to this wonderful goat and his numerous - animal friends make the best sort of reading for them. - - As one reviewer aptly puts it, these stories are “just full of fun - and good times,” for Mrs. Montgomery, the author of them, has the - happy faculty of knowing what the small boy and his sister like in - the way of fiction. - - - TITLES - - BILLY WHISKERS BILLY WHISKERS’ GRANDCHILDREN - BILLY WHISKERS’ KIDS BILLY WHISKERS’ VACATION - BILLY WHISKERS, JR. BILLY WHISKERS KIDNAPED - BILLY WHISKERS’ TRAVELS BILLY WHISKERS’ TWINS - BILLY WHISKERS AT THE CIRCUS BILLY WHISKERS IN AN AEROPLANE - BILLY WHISKERS AT THE FAIR BILLY WHISKERS IN TOWN - BILLY WHISKERS’ FRIENDS BILLY WHISKERS IN PANAMA - BILLY WHISKERS, JR. AND HIS CHUMS - - Each Volume a Quarto, Bound in Boards, Cover and Six Full Page - Drawings in Colors, Postpaid Price =$1.50= - - - The Saalfield Publishing Co., Akron, Ohio - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber’s note: - - The Table of Contents at the beginning of the book was created by - the transcriber. - - Inconsistencies in hyphenation such as “camp-fire”/“campfire” - have been maintained. - - Minor punctuation and spelling errors have been silently corrected - and all misspellings in the text, especially in dialogue, and - inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOY SCOUT PATHFINDERS*** - - -******* This file should be named 65084-0.txt or 65084-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/6/5/0/8/65084 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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