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diff --git a/21842.txt b/21842.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8e712c8 --- /dev/null +++ b/21842.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6085 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Boy Scouts of Lenox, by Frank V. Webster + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Boy Scouts of Lenox + Or The Hike Over Big Bear Mountain + + +Author: Frank V. Webster + + + +Release Date: June 15, 2007 [eBook #21842] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOY SCOUTS OF LENOX*** + + +E-text prepared by Mark C. Orton, Linda McKeown, Jacqueline Jeremy, and +the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team +(https://www.pgdp.net) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustration. + See 21842-h.htm or 21842-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/8/4/21842/21842-h/21842-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/8/4/21842/21842-h.zip) + + + + + +THE BOY SCOUTS OF LENOX + +Or + +The Hike Over Big Bear Mountain + +by + +FRANK V. WEBSTER + +Author of "Only a Farm Boy," "Ben Hardy's Flying +Machine," "The Boy from the Ranch," Etc. + +Illustrated + + + + + + + +[Illustration: THEY HOISTED HIM TO THE LIMB, WHERE HE CLUNG WATCHING +THE NEXT RESCUE. _Page 202._] + + + +New York +Cupples & Leon Company +Publishers + + + * * * * * + + +BOOKS FOR BOYS + +By FRANK V. WEBSTER + +12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. + + ONLY A FARM BOY + TOM, THE TELEPHONE BOY + THE BOY FROM THE RANCH + THE YOUNG TREASURER HUNTER + BOB, THE CASTAWAY + THE YOUNG FIREMEN OF LAKEVILLE + THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS + THE BOY PILOT OF THE LAKES + THE TWO BOY GOLD MINERS + JACK, THE RUNAWAY + COMRADES OF THE SADDLE + THE BOYS OF BELLWOOD SCHOOL + THE HIGH SCHOOL RIVALS + BOB CHESTER'S GRIT + AIRSHIP ANDY + DARRY, THE LIFE SAVER + DICK, THE BANK BOY + BEN HARDY'S FLYING MACHINE + THE BOYS OF THE WIRELESS + HARRY WATSON'S HIGH SCHOOL DAYS + THE BOY SCOUTS OF LENOX + TOM TAYLOR AT WEST POINT + COWBOY DAVE + THE BOYS OF THE BATTLESHIP + JACK OF THE PONY EXPRESS + +Cupples & Leon Co., Publishers, New York + + + * * * * * + + +Copyright, 1915, by +Cupples & Leon Company + +THE BOY SCOUTS OF LENOX + +Printed in U. S. A. + + + + + CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. WHEN THE SEED TOOK ROOT 1 + + II. THE MAN WHO LOVED NATURE 10 + + III. A CLOUD OVER THE OSKAMP HOME 20 + + IV. THE DEFIANCE OF DOCK PHILLIPS 30 + + V. THE BLACK BEAR PATROL 41 + + VI. SETTING THE TRAP 48 + + VII. DOCK GOES FROM BAD TO WORSE 57 + + VIII. SIGNS OF TROUBLE AHEAD 66 + + IX. NO SURRENDER 76 + + X. READY FOR THE START 84 + + XI. ON THE WAY 91 + + XII. THE FIRST CAMP-FIRE 98 + + XIII. THE LIFE THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAVED 106 + + XIV. AT THE FOOT OF BIG BEAR MOUNTAIN 114 + + XV. NOT GUILTY 122 + + XVI. WHAT TO DO IN A STORM 129 + + XVII. THE LANDSLIDE 137 + + XVIII. CAMPING ON THE LAKE SHORE 145 + + XIX. FRIENDS OF THE DEER 153 + + XX. FIRST AID TO THE INJURED 162 + + XXI. SCOUT GRIT 171 + + XXII. THE CABIN IN THE WOODS 180 + + XXIII. INTO THE GREAT BOG 189 + + XXIV. RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL 198 + + XXV. WHEN CARL CAME HOME--CONCLUSION 207 + + + + +THE BOY SCOUTS OF LENOX + + +CHAPTER I + +WHEN THE SEED TOOK ROOT + + +"I move we go into it, fellows!" + +"It strikes me as a cracking good idea, all right, and I'm glad Tom +stirred us up after he came back from visiting his cousins over in +Freeport!" + +"He says they've got a dandy troop, with three full patrols, over +there." + +"No reason, Felix, why Lenox should be left out in the cold when it +comes to Boy Scout activities. Let's keep the ball rolling until it's +a sure thing." + +"I say the same, Josh. Why, we can count about enough noses for a full +patrol right among ourselves. There's Tom Chesney to begin with; George +Cooper here, who ought to make a pretty fair scout even if he is always +finding fault; Carl Oskamp, also present, if we can only tear him away +from his hobby of raising homing pigeons long enough to study up what +scouts have to know; yourself, Josh Kingsley; and a fellow by the name +of Felix Robbins, which happens to be me." + +"That's five to begin with; and I might mention Billy Button; yes, and +Walter Douglass, though I guess he'd take the premium for a tenderfoot, +because he knows next to nothing about outdoor life." + +"But he's willing to learn, because he told me so, Josh; and that +counts a lot, you know. That makes seven doesn't it? Well, to complete +the roster of the patrol we might coax Horace Herkimer Crapsey to cast +in his lot with us!" + +The boy named Josh laughed uproariously at the suggestion, and his +merriment was shared to some extent by the other two, Carl Oskamp +and George Cooper. Felix shook his head at them disapprovingly. + +"Just go slow there, fellows," he told them. "Because Horace has always +been so afraid of his soft white hands that he wears gloves most of the +time isn't any reason why he shouldn't be made to see the error of his +ways." + +"Oh! Felix means that if only we can coax Horace to join, we _might_ +reform him!" exclaimed Josh, who was a thin and tall boy, with what +might be called a hatchet face, typically Yankee. + +"By the same token," chuckled Felix in turn, "a few of us might drop +some of our bad habits if once we subscribed to the rules of the +scouts, because I've read the same in a newspaper. They rub it into +fellows who find fault with things instead of being cheerful." + +"Oh! is that so, Felix?" burst out George Cooper, who took that thrust +to himself. "How about others who are lazy, and always wanting to put +things off to another day? Do those same rules say 'procrastination is +the thief of time?'" + +"Well boys," remarked Carl Oskamp, pouring oil on the troubled water as +was his habit, "we've all got our faults, and it might be a good thing +if joining the scouts made us change our ways more or less. There comes +Tom, now, let's get him to tell us something more about the chance for +starting a troop in Lenox right away." + +"He said he believed he knew a young man who might consent to act as +scout master," observed Felix. "It's Mr. Robert Witherspoon, the civil +engineer and surveyor." + +"Why, yes, I believe he used to be a scout master in the town he came +from!" declared Carl. "I hope Tom is bringing us some good news right +now." + +"If that look on his face counts for anything, he's going to give us a +chance to let out a few cheers," asserted Felix, as the fifth boy drew +near. + +It was a Friday afternoon near the close of winter when this +conversation took place. School was over for the week, and as +there was an unmistakable feeling of coming spring in the air +the snow on the ground seemed to be in haste to melt and +disappear. + +Every now and then one of the boys would be overcome by an irresistible +temptation to stoop, gather up enough of the soft clinging snow to make +a hard ball, which was thrown with more or less success at some tree or +other object. + +The town of Lenox was just one of many in the eastern section of the +great United States, and boasted a few thousand inhabitants, some +industries, a high school, and various churches. In Lenox the boys +were no different from those to be found in every like community. +They had a baseball club that vied with rival schools in spirited +contests, a football organization, and in fact almost every element +that might be expected to thrive in the midst of a lively community. + +There was, however, one thing in which the boys of Lenox seemed to have +been lacking, and this had been brought home to them when Tom Chesney +came back from his recent visit to Freeport, some twenty miles away. + +Somehow the growing fever among boys to organize scout troops had not +broken out very early in Lenox; but if late in coming it bade fair to +make up for lost time by its fierce burning. + +The boy who now joined the four whose chatter we have just recorded was +a healthy looking chap. There was something positive about Tom Chesney +that had always made him a leader with his comrades. At the same time +he was never known to assume any airs or to dictate; which was all the +more reason why his chums loved him. + +"What luck, Tom?" demanded Josh, as soon as the newcomer joined the +others. + +"It's all fixed," was the quick answer given by Tom, who evidently did +not believe in beating about the bush. + +"Good for you!" cried Felix. "Then Mr. Witherspoon is willing to +organize the Lenox Troop of Boy Scouts, is he, Tom?" + +"He said he would be glad to have a hand in it," replied the other, +"his only regret being that as he is often called out of town he might +not be able to give the matter all the attention he would like." + +"That's great news anyhow, Tom!" declared Josh, beaming with +satisfaction. "We've just been figuring things out, and believe +we can find eight fellows who would be willing to make up the +first patrol." + +"We would need that many for a starter," commented Tom; "because +according to the rules he tells me there must be at least one full +patrol before a troop can be started. And I'm glad you can figure on +enough. It's going to make it a success from the start." + +"There's yourself to begin with," remarked Josh, counting with his +fingers; "Felix, Walter Douglass, George here, Billy Button, Horace +Crapsey, Carl and myself, making the eight we need for a patrol." + +"I'm glad you're all anxious to join," said Tom, glancing from one +eager face to the other, as they walked slowly down the street in a +group. + +"Why, so far as that goes, Tom," ventured Felix Robbins, "most of us +are counting the days before we can be wearing our khaki suits and +climbing up out of the tenderfoot bunch to that of second-class scout. +Only Carl here seems to be kind of holding back; though none of us can +see why he should want to go and leave his old chums in the lurch." + +At that Tom gave Carl another look a little more searching than his +first. He was immediately struck by the fact that Carl did not seem as +happy as usual. He and Tom had been close chums for years. That fact +made Tom wonder why the other had not taken him into his confidence, if +there was anything wrong. + +Carl must have known that the eyes of his chum were upon him for he +flushed, and then looked hastily up. + +"Oh! it isn't that I wouldn't be mighty glad of the chance to go into +this thing with the rest of you," he hastened to say; "don't believe +that I'm getting tired of my old chums. It isn't that at all. But +something has happened to make me think I may be kept so busy that I'd +have no time to give to studying up scout laws and attending meetings." + +"Oh! forget it all, Carl, and come in with us," urged Josh, laying a +hand affectionately on the other's shoulder. "If it's anything where we +can help, you know as well as you do your own name that there isn't a +fellow but would lay himself out to stand back of you. Isn't that so, +boys?" + +Three other voices instantly joined in to declare that they would only +be glad of the opportunity to show Carl how much they appreciated him. +It always touches a boy to find out how much his chums think of him. +There was a suspicious moisture about Carl's eyes as he smiled and +nodded his head when replying. + +"That's nice of you, fellows. But after all perhaps I may see my way +clear to joining the troop. I hope so, anyway, and I'll try my best +to make the riffle. Now Tom, tell us all Mr. Witherspoon said." + +"Yes, we want to know what we'd have to do the first thing," added +Josh, who was about as quick to start things as Felix Robbins was +slow. "I sent off and got a scout manual. It came last night, and +I'm soaking up the contents at a great rate." + +"That was why I saw a light over in your room late last night, was it?" +George Cooper demanded. "Burning the midnight oil. Must have been +interesting reading, seems to me, Josh." + +"I could hardly tear myself away from the book," responded the other +boy. "After to-night I'll loan it to the rest of you, though I guess +Tom must have got one from Mr. Witherspoon, for I see something bulging +in his pocket." + +Tom laughed at that. + +"Josh," he said, "it's very plain to me that you will make a pretty +clever scout, because you've got the habit of observing things down to +a fine point. And if you've read as much as you say, of course you know +that one of the first things a tenderfoot has to do is to remember to +keep his eyes about him, and see things." + +"Yes," added Josh, eagerly, "one test is for each boy to stand in front +of a store window for just two minutes, making a mental map of the +same, and then go off to jot down as many objects as he can remember +to have seen there." + +"That's quite a stunt," remarked Felix thoughtfully; "and I reckon the +one who can figure out the biggest number of articles goes up head in +the class. I must remember and practice that game. It strikes me as +worth while." + +"Listen to the row up there, will you?" burst out George Cooper just +then. "Why, that lot of boys seems to be having a snowball fight, don't +they? Hello! it isn't a battle after all, but they're pelting somebody +or other. See how the balls fly like a flock of pigeons from Carl's +coop!" + +"It looks like a man they're bombarding!" ejaculated Felix. + +"You're right about that, and an old man in the bargain," added Tom +as he quickened his steps involuntarily; "I can see that bully Tony +Pollock leading the lot; yes, and the other fellows must be his +cronies, Wedge McGuffey and Asa Green." + +"See the poor old fellow try to dodge the balls!" exclaimed Josh. +"They're making them like ice too, and I wouldn't put it past that lot +to pack a stone in each snowball in the bargain. They'd be equal to +anything." + +"Are we going to stand by and see that sport go on, boys?" asked Carl +as he shut his jaws tight together, and the light of indignation shone +in his eyes. + +"We wouldn't be fit to wear the khaki of scouts if we did, fellows!" +cried Tom Chesney. "Come on, and let's give them a taste of their own +medicine," and with loud shouts the five comrades started to gather up +the snow as they chased pell-mell toward the scene of excitement. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE MAN WHO LOVED NATURE + + +"Give it to them, boys!" Josh was shouting as he started to send his +first ball straight at the group of busy tormentors who were showering +the helpless old man with their icy balls that must have stung almost +as much as so many rocks. + +He seemed to be lame, for while he tried to advance toward the young +rascals waving his stout cane wildly, they had no difficulty in keeping +a safe distance off, and continuing the cruel bombardment. + +The smashing of that ball flung by Josh, who was pitcher on the Lenox +baseball team, and a fine shot, was the first intimation the three +tormentors of the old man had that the tables had been turned. + +"Hey! look here what's on to us!" shrilled one of the trio, as he felt +the sudden shock caused by the first snowball striking the back of his +head. + +Upon that the bully of the town and his two allies were forced to turn +and try to defend themselves against this assault from the rear. They +fought desperately for a very short time, but their hands were already +half frozen, and five against three proved too great odds for their +valor. + +Besides, every time Josh let fly he managed to land on some part of the +person of Tony Pollock or one of his cronies. And those hard balls when +driven by the sturdy arm of the baseball pitcher stung mercilessly. + +The old man stood and watched, with something like a smile on his face. +He seemed to have forgotten all about his own recent predicament in +seeing these young rowdies receiving their just dues. If he had not +been old and lame possibly he might have insisted on joining in the +fray, and adding to the punishment being meted out to the three +cowardly boys. + +Once a retreat was begun, it quickly merged into a regular panic. Tom +stayed to talk to the old man while his comrades pursued the fleeing +trio, and peppered them good and hard. When finally they felt that they +had amply vindicated their right to be reckoned worthy candidates for +scout membership they came back, laughing heartily among themselves, +to where Tom and the old man were standing. + +"Why, I've seen that old fellow before," Josh remarked in a low +tone as he and Carl, George and Felix drew near. "His name is Larry +Henderson, and they say he's something of a hermit, living away up in +the woods beyond Bear Mountain." + +"Sure thing," added Felix, instantly; "I've heard my folks talking +about him lots of times. He does a little trapping, they say, but +spends most of his time studying animated nature. He knows every animal +that ever lived on this continent, and the birds and insects too, I +reckon. He's as smart as they make 'em, and used to be a college +professor some people say, even if he does talk a little rough now." + +For some reason all of them were feeling more or less interest in the +man who walked with a cane. Perhaps this arose from the fact that of +late they had become enthusiastic over everything connected with +woodcraft. And the fact that Mr. Henderson was acquainted with a +thousand secrets about the interesting things to be discovered in the +Great Outdoors appealed strongly to them. + +"These are my chums, Mr. Henderson," said Tom, when the others came up; +and as the name of each one was mentioned the hermit of Bear Mountain +grasped his hand, giving a squeeze that made some of the boys wince. + +"I'm glad to meet you all," he said, heartily. "It was worth being +attacked by that lot of rowdies just to get acquainted with such a fine +lot of boys. And I want to say that you gave them all the punishment +they deserved. I counted hits until I lost all track of the number." + +"Yes," said Felix, with a grin on his freckled face; "they're rubbing +many a sore spot right now, I reckon. Josh here, who's our star pitcher +on the nine, never wasted a single ball. And I could hear the same +fairly whistle through the air." + +"Gosh all hemlock! Felix," objected the boy mentioned, "you're +stretching things pretty wide, aren't you? Now I guess the rest +of you did your share in the good work, just as much as I." + +"All the same I'm thankful for your coming to my assistance," said +Mr. Henderson. "My rheumatism kept me from being as spry in dodging +their cannonade as I might have been some years ago. And one ball +that broke against that tree had a stone inside it, I'm sorry to +say. We would have called that unsportsmanlike in my young days." + +"Only the meanest kind of a fellow would descend to such a trick!" +exclaimed the indignant Josh; "but then Tony Pollock and his crowd +are ready to do anything low-down and crooked. They'll never be +able to join our scout troop, after we get it started." + +"What's that you are saying?" asked the old man, showing sudden +interest. + +"Why, you see, sir," explained Josh, always ready to do his share +of talking if given half a chance, "our chum here, Tom Chesney, was +visiting his cousins over in Freeport, and got interested in their +scout troop. So we've taken the thing up, and expect to start the +ball rolling right away." + +"It happens," Tom went on, "that there is a young man in town who once +served as scout master in a troop, and I've just had him promise to +come around to-night and tell us what we've got to do to get the +necessary charter from scout headquarters." + +"You interest me very much, boys," said Mr. Henderson, his eyes +sparkling as he spoke. "I have read considerable about the wonderful +progress this new movement is making all over the land; and I want to +say that I like the principles it advocates. Boys have known too little +in the past of how to take care of themselves at all times, and also be +ready to lend a helping hand to others." + +"The camping out, and finding all sorts of queer things in the woods +is what makes me want to join a troop!" said Josh; "because I always +did love to fish and hunt, and get off in the mountains away from +everybody." + +"That's a good foundation to start on," remarked the hermit, with +kindling eyes, as he looked from one eager face to another; "but I +imagine that after you've been a scout for a short time your ideas +will begin to change considerably." + +"How, sir?" asked Josh, looking unconvinced. + +"Well," continued the old man, softly, "you'll find such enjoyment in +_observing_ the habits of all the little woods folks that by degrees +the fierce desire you have now to slay them will grow colder. In the +end most of you will consider it ten times better to sit and watch them +at their labors or play than to slaughter them in sport, or even to +kill them for food." + +"But Mr. Henderson," said Josh, boldly, "I've heard that you trap +animals for their pelts; and I guess you must knock a few over when +you feel like having game for dinner, don't you?" + +"Occasionally I go out and get a rabbit or a partridge, though not +often," admitted the old man; "and as for my trapping, I only try to +take such animals or vermin as are cruel in their nature and seem to +be a pest to the innocent things I'm so fond of having around me. I +wish you boys could visit my cabin some time or other, and make the +acquaintance of my innumerable pets. They look on me as their best +friend, and I would never dream of raising a hand to injure them. +Kindness to animals, I believe, is one of the cardinal principles +of a true scout." + +"Yes, sir, that's what it is," responded Josh, eagerly. "I've got the +whole twelve points of scout law on the tip of my tongue right now. +Here's what they are: A scout has got to be trustworthy, loyal, +helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, +brave, clean and reverent." + +"Whew! that's going some!" declared Felix, who being prone to put +things off to a more convenient season could readily see that he +was sure to run up against a good many snags if he tried to keep +the scout law. + +"Then you can easily understand," continued Mr. Henderson, "what a +treasure-house the woods is going to be to every observing boy who +spends some time there, and becomes interested in seeing all that +is going on around him." + +"I'm sure of that, sir," responded Tom, earnestly. "I know for one that +I've never paid a quarter of the attention to such things as I ought to +have done." + +"No, you are right there, my lad," the hermit continued, being +evidently on a favorite subject, "the average boy can walk through +a mile of forest and hardly notice anything around him. In fact, he +may even decide that it's only a gloomy place, and outside the cawing +of the crows or perhaps an occasional squirrel at which he shies a +stone he has heard and seen nothing." + +"Then it's different with a scout, is it, sir?" asked George Cooper. + +"If he has been aroused to take a keen interest in nature the same +woods will be alive with interesting things," the other told them. "He +will see the shy little denizens peeping curiously out at him from a +cover of leaves, and hear their low excited chattering as they tell +each other what they think of him. Every tree and moss-covered stone +and swinging wild grape-vine will tell a story; and afterwards that +boy is going to wonder how he ever could have been content to remain +in such dense ignorance as he did for years." + +"Mr. Henderson do you expect to remain in town over night?" asked Tom, +suddenly. + +"Why yes, I shall have to stay until to-morrow," came the reply; "I +am stopping with my old friend, Judge Stone. We attended the same red +school house on the hill a great many years ago. My stock of provisions +ran short sooner than I had counted on, and this compelled me to come +down earlier than usual. As a rule I deal over in Fairmount, but this +time it was more convenient to come here. Why do you ask, Tom?" + +"I was wondering whether you could be coaxed to come around to-night, +and meet the rest of the boys," the boy told him. "We expect to have a +dozen present, and when Mr. Witherspoon is explaining what a scout must +subscribe to in joining a troop, it might influence some of the fellows +if you would tell them a few things like those you were just describing +to us." + +The old naturalist looked at the eager faces of the five lads, and a +smile came over his own countenance. Undoubtedly he was a lover of and +believer in boys, no matter whether he had ever had any of his own or +not. + +"I shall be only too pleased to come around, Tom; if Judge Stone can +run his car by moonlight. Tell me where the meeting is to take place." + +"The deacons of the church have promised to let us have a room in the +basement, which has a stove in it. The meeting will be at eight +o'clock, sir," Tom informed him. + +"I hope to be there and listen to what goes on," said the hermit. "And +after all I'm not sorry those vicious boys thought to bombard me the +way they did, since it has given me the opportunity to get acquainted +with such a fine lot of lads. But I see my friend, the Judge, coming +with his car, and I'll say good-bye to you all for the present." + +He waved his hand to them as he rode away beside the white-bearded +judge, who was one of the most highly respected citizens of Lenox. + +"Well, he's a mighty fine sort of an old party, for a fact!" declared +George, as they looked after the receding car; nor did he mean the +slightest disrespect in speaking in this fashion of the interesting old +man they had met in such a strange way. + +"I'd give something if only I could visit Mr. Henderson at his cabin," +remarked Felix; "I reckon he must have a heap of things worth seeing in +his collection." + +"Who knows," said Tom, cheerily, "but what some good luck might take us +up that way one of these fine days." + +"Let's hope so," added Josh, as they once more started toward home. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A CLOUD OVER THE OSKAMP HOME + + +Tom and Carl walked along together after the other three boys had +dropped off at various stages, taking short-cuts for their homes, +as supper-time was approaching. + +"What's gone wrong, Carl?" asked Tom, as he flung an arm across the +shoulders of his closest chum. + +"I was meaning to tell you about it, Tom," explained the other, +quickly; "but somehow I kept holding back. It seemed as if I ought +to find a way of solving that queer mystery myself. But only this +morning I decided to ask you to help me." + +His words aroused the curiosity of the other boy more than ever. + +"What's this you're talking about?" he exclaimed. "A mystery is there +now, Carl? Why, I thought it might all be about that coming around so +often of Mr. Amasa Culpepper, who not only keeps the grocery store but +is a sort of shyster lawyer, and a money lender as well. Everybody +says he's smitten with your mother, and wants to be a second father +to you and your sisters and brothers." + +"Well that used to worry me a whole lot," admitted Carl, frankly, +"until I asked my mother if she cared any for Amasa. She laughed at me, +and said that if he was the last man on earth she would never dream of +marrying him. In fact, she never expected to stop being John Oskamp's +widow. So since then I only laugh when I see old Amasa coming around +and fetching big bouquets of flowers from his garden, which he must +hate to pull, he's so miserly." + +"Then what else has cropped up to bother you, Carl?" asked Tom. + +The other heaved a long-drawn sigh. + +"My mother is worried half sick over it!" he explained; "she's hunted +every bit of the house over several times; and I've scoured the garden +again and again, but we don't seem to be able to locate it at all. It's +the queerest thing where it could have disappeared to so suddenly." + +"Yes, but you haven't told me what it is?" remarked Tom. + +"A paper, Tom, a most valuable paper that my mother carelessly left on +the table in the sitting room day before yesterday." + +"What kind of a paper was it?" asked Tom, who always liked to get at +the gist of things in the start. + +"Why, it was a paper that meant considerable to my mother," explained +Carl. "My father once invested in some shares of oil stock. The +certificate of stock was in the safe keeping of Amasa Culpepper, who +had given a receipt for the same, and a promise to hand over the +original certificate when this paper was produced." + +"And you say the receipt disappeared from the table in your sitting +room, without anybody knowing what became of it?" asked Tom. + +"Yes," replied Carl. "This is how it came about. Lately we received +word that the company had struck some gushers in the way of wells, and +that the stock my father had bought for a few cents a share is worth a +mint of money now. It was through Amasa Culpepper my mother first +learned about this, and she wrote to the company to find out." + +"Oh! I see," chuckled Tom, "and when Mr. Culpepper learned that there +was a chance of your mother becoming rich, his unwelcome attentions +became more pronounced than ever; isn't that so, Carl?" + +"I think you're right, Tom," said the other boy, but without smiling, +for he carried too heavy a load on his mind to feel merry. "You see my +mother had hunted up this precious receipt, and had it handy, meaning +to go over to Mr. Culpepper's office in the forenoon and ask for the +certificate of stock he has in his safe." + +"So she laid it on the table, did she?" pursued Tom, shaking his head. +"Don't you think that it was a little careless, Carl, in your mother, +to do that?" + +"She can't forgive herself for doing it," replied his chum, sadly. "She +says that it just shows how few women have any business qualities about +them, and that she misses my father more and more every day that she +lives. But none of the other children touched the paper. Angus, Elsie +and Dot have told her so straight; and it's a puzzle to know what did +become of it." + +"You spoke of hunting in the garden and around the outside of the +house; why should you do that?" + +"It happened that one of the sitting room windows was open half a foot +that day. The weather had grown mild you remember," explained the +other. + +"And you kind of had an idea the paper might have blown out through +that open window, was that it?" + +"It looked like it to me," answered the widow's son, frowning; "but +if that was what happened the wind carried it over the fence and far +away, because I've not been able to find anything of it." + +"How long was it between the time your mother laid the paper on the +table and the moment she missed it?" continued Tom Chesney. + +"Just one full hour. She went from the breakfast table and got the +paper out of her trunk. Then when she had seen the children off to +school, and dressed to go out it was gone. She said that was just a +quarter to ten." + +"She's sure of that, is she?" demanded Tom. + +"Yes," replied Carl, "because the grocer's boy always comes along at +just a quarter after nine for his orders, and he had been gone more +than twenty minutes." + +At that the other boy stopped still and looked fixedly at Carl. + +"That grocer's boy is a fellow by the name of Dock Phillips, isn't he?" +was what Tom asked, as though with a purpose. + +"Yes," Carl replied. + +"And he works for Mr. Amasa Culpepper, too!" continued Tom, placing +such a decided emphasis on these words that his companion started and +stared in his face. + +"That's all true enough, Tom, but tell me what you mean by saying that +in the way you did? What could Mr. Culpepper have to do with the +vanishing of that paper?" + +"Oh! perhaps nothing at all," pursued the other, "but all the same he +has more interest in its disappearance than any other person I can +think of just now." + +"Because his name was signed at the bottom, you mean, Tom?" cried the +startled Carl. + +"Just what it was," continued Tom. "Suppose your mother could never +produce that receipt, Mr. Culpepper would be under no necessity of +handing over any papers. I don't pretend to know much about such +things, and so I can't tell just how he could profit by holding them. +But even if he couldn't get them made over in his own name, he might +keep your mother from becoming rich unless she agreed to marry him!" + +Carl was so taken aback by this bold statement that he lost his breath +for a brief period of time. + +"But Tom, Amasa Culpepper wasn't in our house that morning?" he +objected. + +"Perhaps not, but Dock Phillips was, and he's a boy I'd hate to trust +any further than I could see him," Tom agreed. + +"Do you think Mr. Culpepper could have hired Dock to _steal_ the +paper?" continued the sorely-puzzled Carl. + +"Well, hardly that. If Dock took it he did the job on his own +responsibility. Perhaps he had a chance to glance at the paper +and find out what it stood for, and in his cunning way figured +that he might hold his employer up for a good sum if he gave +him to understand he could produce that receipt." + +"Yes, yes, I'm following you now, go on," implored the deeply +interested Carl. + +"Here we are at your house, Carl; suppose you ask me in. I'd like to +find out if Dock was left alone in the sitting room for even a minute +that morning." + +"Done!" cried the other, vehemently, as he pushed open the white gate, +and led the way quickly along the snow-cleaned walk up to the front +door. + +Mrs. Oskamp was surprised as she stood over the stove in the neat +kitchen of her little cottage home when her oldest boy and his chum, +Tom Chesney, whom she liked very much indeed, entered. Their manner +told her immediately that it was design and not accident that had +brought them in together. + +"I've been telling Tom, mother," said Carl, after looking around and +making certain that none of the other children were within earshot; +"and he's struck what promises to be a clue that may explain the +mystery we've been worrying over." + +"I'm pleased to hear you say so, son," the little woman with the rosy +cheeks and the bright eyes told Carl; "and if I can do anything to +assist you please call on me without hesitation, Tom." + +"What we want you to tell us, mother," continued Carl, "is how long you +left that Dock Phillips alone in the sitting room when he called for +grocery orders on the morning that paper disappeared." + +Mrs. Oskamp looked wonderingly at them both. + +"I don't remember saying anything of that sort to you, Carl," she +presently remarked, slowly and with a puzzled expression on her pretty +plump face. + +"But you _did_ leave him alone there, didn't you?" the boy persisted, +as though something in her manner convinced him that he was on the +track of a valuable clue. + +"Well, yes, but it was not for more than two minutes," she replied. +"There was a mistake in my last weekly bill, and I wanted Dock to take +it back to the store with him for correction. Then I found I had left +it in the pocket of the dress I wore the afternoon before, and so I +went upstairs to get it." + +"Two minutes would be plenty of time, wouldn't it, Tom?" Carl +continued, turning on his chum. + +"He may have stepped up to the table to see what the paper was," Tom +theorized; "and discovering the name of Amasa Culpepper signed to it, +considered it worth stealing. That may be wronging Dock; but he has a +bad reputation, you know, Mrs. Oskamp. My folks say they are surprised +at Mr. Culpepper's employing him; but everybody knows he hates to pay +out money, and I suppose he can get Dock cheaper than he could most +boys." + +"But what would the boy want to do with that paper?" asked the lady, +helplessly. + +"Why, mother," said Carl, with a shrug of his shoulders as he looked +toward his chum; "don't you see he may have thought he could tell Mr. +Culpepper about it, and offer to hand over, or destroy the paper, for a +certain amount of cash." + +"But that would be very wicked, son!" expostulated Mrs. Oskamp. + +"Oh well, a little thing like that wouldn't bother Tony Pollock or Dock +Phillips; and they're both of the same stripe. Haven't we hunted high +and low for that paper, and wondered where under the sun it could have +gone? Well, Dock got it, I'm as sure now as that my name's Carl Oskamp. +The only question that bothers me now is how can I make him give it up, +or tell what he did with it." + +"If he took it, and has already handed it over to Mr. Culpepper, +there's not a single chance in ten you'll ever see it again," Tom +asserted; "but we've got one thing in our favor." + +"I'm glad to hear that, Tom," the little lady told him, for she had a +great respect for the opinion of her son's chum; "tell us what it is, +won't you?" + +"Everybody knows how Amasa Culpepper is getting more and more stingy +every year he lives," Tom explained. "He hates to let a dollar go +without squeezing it until it squeals, they say. Well, if Dock holds +out for a fairly decent sum I expect Amasa will keep putting him off, +and try to make him come down in his price. That's our best chance of +ever getting the paper back." + +"Tom, I want you to go with me to-night and face Dock Phillips," said +Carl. + +"Just as you say; we can look him up on our way to the meeting." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE DEFIANCE OF DOCK PHILLIPS + + +Remembering his promise, Tom called early for his chum. Carl lived in a +pretty little cottage with his mother, and three other children. There +was Angus, a little chap of five, Dot just three, and Elsie well turned +seven. + +Everybody liked to visit the Oskamp home, there was such an air of +contentment and happiness about the entire family, despite the fact +that they missed the presence of the one who had long been their guide +and protector. + +Tom was an especial favorite with the three youngsters, and they were +always ready for a romp with him when he came to spend an evening with +his chum. On this occasion however Tom did not get inside the house, +for Carl was on the lookout and hurried out of the door as soon as he +heard the gate shut. + +"Hello! seems to me you're in a big hurry to-night," laughed Tom, when +he saw the other slip out of the house and come down the path to meet +him; "what's all the rush about, Carl?" + +"Why, you see I knew we meant to drop in at Dock Phillips' place, and +we wouldn't want to be too late at the meeting if we happened to be +held up there," was the explanation Carl gave. + +As they hurried along they talked together, and of course much of their +conversation was connected with this visit to Dock. Carl seemed hopeful +of good results, but to tell the truth Tom had his doubts. + +In the first place he was a better judge of human nature than his chum, +and he knew that the Phillips boy was stubborn, as well as vicious. If +he were really guilty of having taken the paper he would be likely to +deny it vehemently through thick and thin. + +Knowing how apt Carl was to become discouraged if things went against +him very strongly, Tom felt it was his duty to prepare the other for +disappointment. + +"Even if Dock denies that he ever saw the paper, we mustn't let +ourselves feel that this is the end of it, you know, Carl," he +started to say. + +"I'll be terribly disappointed, though, Tom," admitted the other boy, +with a sigh that told how he had lain awake much the last two nights +trying to solve the puzzle that seemed to have no answer. + +"Oh! that would only be natural," his chum told him, cheerily; "but you +know if we expect to become scouts we must figure out what they would +do under the same conditions, and act that way." + +"That's right, Tom," agreed the other, bracing up. "Tell me what a +true-blue scout would figure out as his line of duty in case he ran +up against a snag when his whole heart was set on doing a thing." + +"He'd just remember that old motto we used to write in our copybooks at +school, and take it to heart--'if at first you don't succeed, try, try +again!' And Carl, a scout would keep on trying right along. He'd set +his teeth together as firm as iron and say he'd solve that problem, or +know the reason why." + +"Tom, you know how to brace a weak-kneed fellow up all right." + +"But you're not that kind, Carl. Only in this case there's so much at +stake you hardly do yourself justice. Remember how Grant went at it, +and when he found that Lee met all of his tactics so cleverly he got +his back up and said he'd fight it out on that line if it took all +summer." + +"I see what you mean, and I'm game enough to say the same thing!" +declared the other, with a ring of resolution in his voice. + +Tom felt wonderfully relieved. He knew that Carl was capable of great +things if only he succeeded in conquering his one little failing of +seeing the gloomy side of passing events. + +"Well, here we are at Dock's place. It's not a particularly lovely home +for any fellow, is it? But then his father is known to be a hard +drinker, and the mother finds it a tough job to keep her family in +clothes and food. My folks feel sorry for her, and do what they can at +times to help her out, though she's too proud to ask for assistance." + +"Dock promises to be as bad as his father, I'm afraid, only so far he +hasn't taken to drinking," remarked Carl. + +"There's some hope for him if only he keeps away from that," ventured +Tom. "But let's knock on the door." + +No sooner had his knuckles come in contact with the panel than there +was a furious barking within. Like most poor families the Phillips +evidently kept several dogs; indeed, Dock had always been a great lover +of animals, and liked to be strutting along the main street of Lenox +with a string of dogs tagging at his heels. + +A harsh voice was heard scolding the dogs, who relapsed into a +grumbling and whining state of obedience. + +"That's Dock himself," said Carl. "They mind him all right, you see. I +hope he opens the door for us, and not his father." + +Just then the Phillips door was drawn back. + +"Hello! Carl, and you too Tom; what's up?" + +Although Dock tried to say this with extreme indifference Tom saw that +he was more or less startled at seeing them. In fact he immediately +slipped outside, and closed the door behind him, as though he did not +want his mother or any one else to overhear what might be said. + +This action was positive evidence to the mind of Tom Chesney that Dock +was guilty. His fears caused him to act without thinking. At the same +time such evidence is never accepted in a court of law as +circumstantial. + +If either of the two boys had ever called at the Phillips' house before +it must have been on account of some errand, and at the request of +their mothers. Dock might therefore be filled with curiosity to know +why he had been honored with a visit. + +"We dropped around to have a few words with you, Dock," said Tom, who +had made arrangements with his chum to manage the little interview, and +had his plan of campaign all laid out in advance. + +"Oh is that so?" sneered the other, now having had time to recover from +the little shock which their sudden appearance had given him. "Well, +here I am, so hurry up with what you've got to say. I came home late +from the store and I'm not done my supper yet." + +"We'll keep you only a few minutes at the most, Dock," continued Tom; +"you take the orders for groceries for the store, don't you?" + +"What, me? Why, course I do. Ain't you seen me a-goin' around with that +bob-tail racer of Old Culpepper's that could make a mile in seventeen +minutes if you kept the whip a-waggin' over his back? What if I do take +orders; want to leave one with me for a commission, hey?" + +Dock tried to throw all the sarcasm he could into his voice. He had an +object no doubt in doing this; which was to impress these two boys as +to his contempt for them and their errand, whatever it might be. + +"We came here in hopes that you might solve a little bit of a mystery +that's bothering Carl's mother, Dock," continued Tom. + +It was pretty dark out there, as the night had settled down, and not +much light escaped from the windows close by; still Tom thought he saw +the other boy move uneasily when he said this. + +"That's a funny thing for you to say, Tom Chesney," grumbled the other. +"How'd I be able to help Mrs. Oskamp out, tell me? I ain't much of a +hand to figger sums. That's why I hated school, and run away, so I had +to go to work. Now what you drivin' at anyhow? Just tell me that." + +"Day before yesterday you called at Mrs. Oskamp's house, Dock, as you +do every morning, to take orders. You always make it about the same +time, I understand, which is close to a quarter after nine." + +"Oh! I'm the promptest grocery clerk you ever saw!" boasted Dock, +perhaps to hide a little confusion, and bolster up his nerve. + +"After you had gone, or to make it positive at just a quarter to ten +Mrs. Oskamp, who had dressed to go out, missed something that was on +the table of the sitting room where you came for orders, and which she +says she knows was there when you first arrived!" + +"What's this you're a-sayin', Tom Chesney? Want to make me out a thief, +do you? Better go slow about that sort of talk, I tell you!" blustered +Dock, aggressively. "Did Mrs. Oskamp see me take anything?" + +"Oh! no, certainly not," continued Tom; "but she had to go upstairs to +get a bill she wanted you to take back to the store for correction, and +left you alone in the room for a couple of minutes, that's all." + +Tom was fishing for a "rise," as he would have put it himself, being +something of an angler; and he got it too. All unsuspicious of the trap +that had been spread for his unwary feet Dock gave a harsh laugh, and +went on to say angrily: + +"You have got the greatest nerve I ever heard about, Tom Chesney, +a-comin' here right to my own home, and accusin' me of bein' a reg'lar +thief. I wouldn't take a thing for the world. Besides, what'd I want +with a silly old scrap of paper, tell me?" + +"Oh!" said Tom, quietly, "but I never mentioned what it was that was +taken. How do you happen to know then it was a paper, Dock?" + +Carl gave a gasp of admiration for the clever work of his chum. As for +Dock, he hardly knew what to say immediately, though after he caught +his breath he managed to mutter: + +"Why, there was some papers on the table, I remembered, and I just +guessed you must be meanin' that. I tell you I ain't seen no paper, and +you can't prove it on me either. I defy you to; so there! Now just tell +me what you're goin' to do about it." + +He squared off as though he had a dim idea the two boys might want to +lay hands on him and try to drag him around to the police headquarters. +Of course this was the very last thing Tom and Carl would think of +attempting. Strategy alone could influence Dock to confess to the +truth. + +"Oh! we don't mean to touch you, Dock," said Tom, hastily. "All we +wanted to do was to ask you if you had seen that paper? If you denied +it we knew we would have to try and find it another way; because sooner +or later the truth is bound to come out, you understand. We'd rather +have you on our side than against us, Dock." + +"But what would a feller like me want with your old paper?" snarled the +boy, who may not have wholly liked the firm way in which Tom said that +in the end the real facts must be made known, just as if they meant to +get some one accustomed to spying on people to watch him from that time +on. + +"Nothing so far as it concerned you," replied Tom; "but it was of +considerable value to another. Your employer, Mr. Culpepper, might be +willing to pay a considerable sum to get possession of that same paper, +because it bore his signature." + +Dock gave a disagreeable laugh. + +"What, that old miser pay any real money out? Huh, you don't know him. +He squeezes every dollar till it squeals before he lets it go. He'd +bargain for the difference of five cents. Nobody could do business with +him on the square. But I tell you I ain't seen no paper; and that's all +I'm a-goin' to say 'bout it. I'm meanin' to let my dogs out for a +little air soon's I go back in the house, an' I hopes that you'll close +the gate after you when you skip!" + +There was a veiled threat in his words, and as he proceeded to +terminate the interview by passing inside Tom and Carl thought it +good policy to make use of the said gate, for they did not like +the manner in which the dogs growled and whined on the other side +of the barrier. + +"He's a tough one, all right," Carl was saying as they walked on +together, and heard the three dogs barking in the Phillips' yard. + +"Yes," admitted his chum, "Dock's a hard customer, but not so very +smart when you come right down to it. He fell headlong into my trap, +which is a very old one with lawyers who wish to coax a man to betray +his guilt." + +"You mean about saying it was a paper that had been lost?" said Carl. +"Yes, you fairly staggered him when you asked him how he knew that." + +"There's no question about Dock's being the guilty one," asserted Tom. +"He gave himself away the worst kind then. The only thing we have to do +is to try and get the truth from him. Sooner or later it's got to be +found out." + +"Yes," continued Carl, dejectedly, "but if he's handed that paper over +to Mr. Culpepper in the meantime, even if we could prove that Dock took +it what good will that do? Once that paper is torn up, we could recover +nothing." + +"But I'm sure he hasn't made his bargain with old Amasa yet," Tom +ventured. + +"Why do you believe that?" asked the other, eagerly. + +"You heard what he said about the meanness of his employer, didn't +you?" was what Tom replied. "Well, it proves that although Dock sounded +Mr. Culpepper about being in a position to give him the paper they +haven't arrived at any satisfactory conclusion." + +"You mean Dock wants more than Amasa is willing to pay, is that it, +Tom?" + +"It looks that way to me," the other boy assented; "and that sort of +deadlock may keep on indefinitely. You see, Dock is half afraid to +carry the deal through, and will keep holding off. Perhaps he may +even have put so high a price on his find, that every once in a +while they'll lock horns and call it a draw." + +"I hope you've hit on the right solution," sighed Carl; "if it didn't +do anything else it would give us a chance to think up some other +scheme for getting the truth out of Dock." + +"Leave it to me, Carl; sooner or later we'll find a way to beat him at +his own game. If he's got that paper hidden away somewhere we may +discover his secret by following him. There are other ways too. It's +going to come out all right in the end, you take my word for it!" + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE BLACK BEAR PATROL + + +It was a lively scene in the room under the church when the meeting was +called to order by Mr. Witherspoon, the civil engineer and surveyor. A +dozen boys were on hand, several having come from curiosity, and +meaning to join the scouts later on if they saw reason to believe it +would amount to anything. + +Besides the boys there were present Judge Stone, his friend the +hermit-naturalist, Larry Henderson, and two fathers, who had dropped +around to learn whether this new-fangled movement for the rising +generation meant that the boys were to be secretly trained for +soldiers, as so many people believed. + +Robert Witherspoon having once been a scout master knew how to manage a +meeting of this sort. After he had called it to order he made a neat +little speech, and explained what a wonderful influence for good the +organization had been in every community where it had been tested. + +He read various extracts from the scout manual to show the lofty aims +of those who had originated this idea which was taking the world by +storm. + +"The boys have been neglected far too long," he told them; "and it has +been decided that if we want a better class of men in the world we must +begin work with the boy. It is the province of this scout movement to +make duty so pleasant for the average lad that he will be wild to +undertake it." + +In his little talk to the boys Mr. Witherspoon mentioned the fact that +one of the greatest charms of becoming scouts was that growing habit of +observing all that went on around them. + +"When you're in town this may not seem to be much of a thing after +all," he had gone on to say; "but in the woods you will find it an ever +increasing fascination, as the wonders of nature continue to be +unfolded before your eyes. We are fortunate to have with us to-night a +gentleman who is known all over the country as a naturalist and lover +of the great outdoors. I think it will be worth our while to listen +while he tells us something of the charming things to be found in +studying nature. Mr. Henderson I'm going to ask you to take up as much +time as you see fit." + +When Tom and Carl and some of the other boys did that little favor for +Mr. Larry Henderson they were inclined to fancy that he was rather +rough in his manner. + +He had not been talking five minutes however, before they realized that +he was a born orator, and could hold an audience spell-bound by his +eloquence. He thrilled those boys with the way in which he described +the most trivial happening in the lonely wilds. They fairly hung upon +his every sentence. + +"When you first commence to spend some time in the woods, boys," he +told them, "it will seem very big and lonesome to you. Then as you come +to make the acquaintance of Br'er 'Coon and Mr. Fox and the frisky +chipmunk and all the rest of the denizens, things will take on a +different color. In the end you will feel that they are all your very +good friends, and nothing could tempt you to injure one of the happy +family. + +"Yes, it is true that occasionally I do trap an animal but only when I +find it a discordant element in the group. Some of them prey upon +others, and yet that is no excuse why man should step in and +exterminate them all, as he often does just for the sake of a few +dollars." + +This sort of talk roused the enthusiasm of the boys, and when after a +while Mr. Witherspoon put the question as to how many of them felt like +immediately signing the roster roll so as to start the first patrol of +the intended troop, there was a good deal of excitement shown. + +First of all Tom Chesney signed, and immediately after him came Carl, +Felix, Josh and George. By the time these five names had appeared Josh +had slipped his arm through that of Walter Douglass and brought him up +to the table to place his signature on the list. + +"We need two more to make up the first patrol," announced Mr. +Witherspoon. "Unless eight are secured we cannot hope to get our +charter from scout headquarters, because that is the minimum number of +a troop. I sincerely hope we may be able to make so much progress +to-night at this meeting that I can write to-morrow to obtain the +necessary authority for acting as your scout master." + +At that another boy who had been anxiously conferring with his father +walked forward. + +"Good for you, Billy Button!" called out Josh. "That makes seven, and +we only need one more name. Horace, are you going to see this grand +scheme fall through for lack of just a single name? Your sig would look +mighty good to the rest of us at the end of that list." Then he ended +with an air of assumed dignity, "Horace, your country calls you; will +it call in vain?" + +Horace Herkimer Crapsey was the boy who had been spoken of as a dainty +dude, who hated to soil his white hands. Tom had expressed it as his +opinion that if only Horace could be coaxed to join the troop it would +prove to be the finest thing in the world for him. He had the making of +a good scout only for those faults which other boys derided as silly +and girlish. He was neat to a painful degree, and that is always looked +on as a sort of crime by the average boy. + +Horace evidently had been greatly taken by the combined talk of the +scout master and the old hermit-naturalist. To the great delight of +Josh, as well as most of the other boys, he now stepped forward and +placed his name on the list. + +"That makes eight, and enough for the first patrol," announced Mr. +Witherspoon, with a pleased look; "we can count on an organization now +as a certainty. All of you will have to start in as tenderfeet, because +so far you have had no experience as scouts; but unless I miss my guess +it will be only a short time before a number of you will be applying +for the badge of second-class scouts." + +"That's just what we will, sir!" cried Josh, brimming over with +enthusiasm. + +"We cannot elect a patrol leader just now," continued Mr. Witherspoon, +"until there are some of you who are in the second class; but that will +come about in good time. But it is of considerable importance what name +you would like to give this first patrol of the new Lenox Troop of Boy +Scouts." + +There was a conference among the boys, and all sorts of suggestions +were evidently being put forward. Finally Tom Chesney seemed to have +been delegated as usual to act as spokesman. + +"Mr. Chairman," he said, rising from his seat, "my comrades of Lenox +Troop have commissioned me to say they would like to ask Mr. Henderson +to name the first patrol for them. They believe they will be perfectly +satisfied with any name he may think best to give them." + +Judge Stone smiled, and nodded his head as though he considered this +quite a neat little compliment for his good old friend. And the +naturalist was also evidently pleased as he got upon his feet. + +"After all, boys," he told them, "it is a matter of very little +consequence what you call this fine patrol. There are a dozen names +that suggest themselves. Since you have a Bear Mountain within half a +dozen miles of your town suppose you call it the Black Bear Patrol." + +There was a chorus of approving assents, and it looked as though not a +single objection was to be offered. + +"The black bear is an American institution, you might say," Mr. +Henderson continued, when this point had been settled, "and next to the +eagle is recognized as distinctive. From what I have heard said this +evening it seems to me also that the Boy Scouts of America differ from +any other branch of the movement in many ways." + +"Above all things," exclaimed Mr. Witherspoon, "in that there is +nothing military about the movement over here. In Europe scouts are in +one sense soldiers in the making. They all expect to serve the colors +some day later on. We do not hold this up before our boys; though never +once doubting that in case a great necessity arose every full-fledged +scout would stand up for his country's honor and safety." + +"Every time!" exclaimed the impetuous Josh. + +Long they lingered there, discussing many things connected with the +securing of their uniforms, after the proper time had elapsed. Various +schemes were suggested whereby each boy could earn enough money to pay +for his outfit; because that was one of the important stipulations made +in joining a troop, no candidate being allowed to accept help in +securing his suit. + +Before the meeting was adjourned it was settled that they were to come +together every Friday night; and meanwhile each member of the Black +Bear Patrol expected to qualify for the grade of second-class scout +just as soon as his month of membership as arranged under the bylaws of +the order had expired. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +SETTING THE TRAP + + +"Three weeks have gone by since we had that first meeting, Tom; just +think of it." + +Carl was walking along the river road with his chum when he made this +remark. They had seen the last of the snow vanish, and with the coming +of milder days all the boys began to talk of going fishing before long. + +Perhaps this saunter of the pair after school may have had something to +do with the first contemplated outing of the season, and they wanted to +see whether the fish had commenced to come from their winter quarters, +though the law would not be off for trout yet awhile. + +"That's a fact, Carl," replied the other boy; "and at our very next +meeting most of the members of the patrol are going to get their badges +as second-class scouts, because they've already qualified for it to the +satisfaction of Mr. Witherspoon." + +"Honest to goodness I believe there'll be only one tenderfoot left in +the lot," Carl continued; "and that of course is our dude, Horace. He +managed to exert himself just enough to fulfill the requirements a +tenderfoot has to possess, but there he sticks." + +"Wait a while longer," Tom told him, "and one of these fine days you +may see Horace wake up. I haven't lost hopes of him by a long shot. At +our next meeting, after we've passed up, the first thing we have to do +is to elect a patrol leader." + +Carl laughed softly. + +"Oh that's all cut and dried, already," he asserted. + +"Well, if it is no one has said anything to me about it," objected Tom, +at which the other laughed again. + +"Why should they bother when it was seven against one, Tom?" argued +Carl. "Why, the boys wouldn't dream of having any other leader than +you!" + +"But that doesn't seem quite fair, it ought to be talked over openly. +Why pick me out above every one else for that?" + +"Because you've always been a leader among your schoolmates, Tom, +that's why!" he was quickly, told. "You've got it in you to take the +lead in every kind of sport known to boys. Baseball, football, hockey, +athletics--tell me a single thing where you've had to play second +fiddle to any other fellow. And it isn't because you want to push +yourself either, but because you can go ahead." + +"Well," said Tom, slowly and musingly, "it's mighty nice to know that +the other boys like you, and if the fellows are bound to make me take +the office of patrol leader I suppose I'll have to accept it." + +"No one so well able to do the work as you are, Tom. But this has been +a terribly long three weeks to me, I tell you." + +"Now you're thinking that we haven't made a bit of progress about +finding that stolen paper," suggested Tom, looking a little +crest-fallen. "Both of us have tried from time to time to watch Dock +after nights, but somehow we haven't had much success up to now." + +"No," added Carl, with one of his heavy sighs, "if he has that paper +hidden somewhere he's smart enough to keep away from his cache, so far +as we've been able to find out." + +"I don't believe he's come to any settlement with Amasa Culpepper as +yet," Tom observed, with considerable positiveness. + +"We think that, but we don't know for sure," ventured the less +confident Carl. "If only I could glimpse the paper I'd have a big load +lifted from my mind. And it cuts me to the quick to see poor mother +trying to look cheerful when I come indoors, though I've noticed signs +of tears on her cheeks several times." + +"I've been thinking of some sort of scheme," began Tom, slowly. + +"Good for you!" burst out Carl, delightedly. "Tell me what it is then; +and can we start in to try it right away?" + +"That depends on several conditions," explained the other. "First of +all do you remember what that receipt made out by Mr. Culpepper looked +like, Carl?" + +"Do I? Why, it seems to me it must have been burned on my memory as +though you'd take a red hot poker and make marks on the clean kitchen +floor. When I shut my eyes nights and try to go to sleep it keeps +dancing in front of me. Before I know what I'm doing I find myself +grabbing out for it, and then I want to kick myself for being so +foolish, when I know it's all just a silly bit of imagination." + +"I'm glad you remember so well how it looked," remarked Tom, somewhat +to the mystification of his companion. + +"What has that got to do with your scheme?" he demanded, in perplexity. + +"A whole lot," came the swift answer; "because I want you to get me up +as close a copy of that receipt as you possibly can!" + +"Whew! do you mean even to signing Mr. Culpepper's name at the end?" +asked Carl, whose breath had very nearly been taken away. + +"Yes, even to that," he was told; "in fact the paper wouldn't be worth +a pinch of salt in my little game if that signature were omitted. Do +you think you could duplicate the receipt, Carl?" + +"I am sure I could; but even now I'm groping in the dark, because for +the life of me I can't see what you expect to do with it, Tom." + +"Don't forget to crease it, to make it look as though it had been +folded and opened ever so many times; yes, and soil the outside a +little too, as if it had been carried in a boy's pocket along with a +lot of other things like marbles or a top or something like that." + +"But please explain what all this means," Carl pleaded. + +"Listen!" replied the other, impressively, "and I'll tell you what my +game is. It may work, and it may fall flat; a whole lot depends on +circumstances, but there's no harm trying it out." + +"Of course not; go on and tell me." + +"In watching Dock when he didn't know it, we've learned considerable +about his habits," continued Tom. "For one thing every single night he +walks home along the river road here after delivering a package or two +at certain houses. It seems to be a part of the programme. Well, some +fine night we'll lie in wait for him about this spot; and on the road +will be that duplicate of the paper which we believe he stole." + +At that Carl became quite excited. + +"Oh! now I see what your game it!" he cried; "and let me tell you I +think it's as clever a trick as could be thought of. He'll pick up the +paper, thinking it may be something worth while; and when he sees that +it is the very receipt he thinks he has got safely hidden away +somewhere, Dock will be so rattled that the first thing he does will be +to hurry to find out whether it's been taken or not." + +"That's the idea, Carl; and of course we'll follow him, so as to jump +in the very minute he gets out the real document to compare them." + +"Fine! fine, Tom! You are certainly the crackerjack when it comes to +laying a trap to trip a scamp up. Why, he'll fall into that pit head +over heels; and I do hope we can snatch the paper away from him before +he has a chance to tear it up." + +"We'll look out for that all right, you can depend on it," came the +reassuring remark from the other scout. "When will you get busy on that +copy, Carl?" + +"To-night, after the kids are in bed," Carl hastened to reply; "I +wouldn't care to have them see what I was doing, though in this case I +firmly believe it's all right." + +"And if your mother wants to know, tell her," said Tom. + +"I'd have to do that anyway," said Carl, without the least confusion or +hesitation; "I always tell my mother everything that happens. She takes +an interest in all my plans, and she's the dearest little mother a boy +ever had. But she'll understand that it's only meant to be a trick to +catch the thief." + +"Then if you have it ready by to-morrow afternoon we might try how it +works that same evening," Tom remarked. + +"I wish the time was now, I'm getting so anxious to do something," +sighed the second boy, as he again remembered how he had seen his +mother force herself to appear cheerful when he came from school, +though there were traces of tears on her cheeks, and her eyes looked +red. + +Soon after that the chums separated, as the afternoon was drawing near +a close. + +"I wish you luck with your work to-night, Carl," was what Tom called +out in parting; "and if any one wants to know where we've been, be sure +and tell them that so far as we've been able to find out the fishing +promises to be mighty fine this spring, better than for years, if signs +go for anything." + +On the following day at noon when they walked home for lunch Carl +showed his chum the paper. It had been carefully done, and even bore +the marks of service in the way of numerous creases, and some soiled +spots in the bargain. + +Tom was loud in his praise. + +"It certainly looks as if it had been carried in a boy's pocket for +some time," he declared; "and it's up to you to say how close a copy +the contents are to the original." + +"I'm sure Amasa Culpepper would say it was his own crabbed handwriting +to a fraction," Carl had no hesitation in asserting. "And so far as +that goes Dock Phillips isn't capable of discovering any slight +difference. If he ever picks this up you mark my words, Tom, he's going +to get the biggest shock he's felt in many a day." + +"And you can see how the very first thing he'd be apt to do would be to +look around to see if anybody was spying on him, and then hurry away to +find if his paper could have been taken from the place where he hid +it." + +"Oh! I hope, Tom, he doesn't just step over it, and never bother to +pick it up." + +"We've got to take our chance of that happening," he was told; "but we +know how nearly every boy would act. Besides, scraps of paper have +begun to seem worth something in Dock's eyes lately. The chances are +three to one he'll get it." + +"Well, I'll meet you at just seven o'clock to-night at the old smithy, +and we'll lay the trap when we hear his whistle up the road. Dock +always whistles when he's out after dark. I think it must help him keep +his courage up." + +The church bells had just started to ring seven when the two boys came +close to the old blacksmith shop that had been deserted when Mr. +Siebert moved to a better location. + +They had chosen this spot because it was rather lonely, and there did +not seem to be very much chance of their little game being interrupted +by any other pedestrian coming along just at the critical time. + +On one side of the road lay the bushes, in the midst of which the boys +expected to hide; on the other could be seen the river. + +All was quiet around them as the minutes passed away. + +"There, that's his whistle, Tom!" whispered Carl, suddenly. + +Thereupon the other scout crept swiftly out upon the road, and placed +the folded paper where it could hardly help being seen by any one with +ordinary eyesight. He had just returned to the bushes when a figure +came hurrying around the bend, whistling vigorously as some boys are in +the habit of doing. Carl's heart seemed almost to stop beating when he +saw Dock suddenly halt and bend over. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +DOCK GOES FROM BAD TO WORSE + + +Just at that instant, as luck would have it, a vagrant gust of wind, +perhaps an advance courier of the prospective storm, swooped down +across the road. Before the boy who was stooping over could touch the +paper that had attracted his attention it was whisked suddenly away. + +He made an ineffectual effort to seize upon it in the air, but missed +it and had to stand there, while the paper floated far out over the +river, to fall finally on the moving current. + +Carl quivered with another feeling besides anxiety and suspense; keen +disappointment was wringing his heart cruelly. Just when their clever +little plot seemed on the point of working, a freak of fate had dashed +his hopes to the ground. + +He had the greatest difficulty in suppressing the cry that tried to +bubble from between his lips. Even Tom must have felt bitterly +chagrinned when he saw the paper go swirling off, without having had a +chance to test its ability to deceive Dock Phillips, and perhaps lead +him into confessing his guilt. + +The grocer's boy was now walking on again. Of course he knew nothing +about the character of the elusive paper, save that it had played him a +little trick. They could hear him whistling again in his loud way as +though he had already forgotten the circumstance. + +"Hang the luck!" complained Carl, when he felt that it was safe to let +a little of the compressed steam escape through the safety valve of his +voice. + +"That was a rough deal, all right," admitted Tom. "Who would have +dreamed such a blast could sweep down and take that paper off? Too bad +you had all your work for nothing, Carl." + +"Oh! the work didn't amount to much," said the other boy, despondently; +"but after hoping for such great things through our plan it's hard to +feel that you're up in the air as bad as ever." + +"We might try it all over again some time, after Dock's kind of +forgotten about this happening," suggested Tom. "But if he kept on +seeing loose papers every little while he might get suspicious about +it. Perhaps we can think up another plan that will have the earmarks of +success about it." + +"I never thought the river would play me such a trick," said Carl, +looking out on the moving water; "up to now I've had a sort of friendly +feeling for the old stream, but after this I'll be apt to look on it as +an unprincipled foe." + +"Oh! I wouldn't say that," urged Tom, always practical; "the river +wasn't to blame at all. And that gust of wind would have come whether +we thought to place our bait on the road or not. I'd call it a piece of +hard luck, and let it go at that." + +"We couldn't do anything, Tom, now our paper's gone off on the +current?" + +"Oh well," replied the other purposely allowing himself to grow +humorous so as to cause Carl to forget the keen bitterness of his +disappointment; "perhaps if we went fishing to-morrow below here we +might take the trout that would have your paper tucked away in his +little tummy." + +"That's right, Tom," the other added; "we've read some thrilling yarns +about jewels being recovered that way; and I remember that even a gold +watch was said to have been found, still running inside a fish after +many moons." + +"Yes, they tried to explain that phenomenon in a lot of ways, but I +guess it must have been meant for a joke, just as my idea was." + +"It's all over for to-night then?" + +"Yes, let's go home," replied Tom. "We have lots to talk over and do, +too. Before long the exams will be coming on, and we want to pass with +honors if we expect to enjoy our vacation this summer." + +"And it's pretty nearly decided I hear, that the Black Bear Patrol +takes a long hike the first thing after school closes," Carl was +saying, as they started down the river road into Lenox. + +"Ten days in camp or knocking about will do more to make us seasoned +scouts than as many months at home," ventured Tom, knowingly. + +"All the difference between theory and practice you mean," added Carl. +"On my own part I don't care how soon we get started. I've a whole lot +of things written down to be attended to, once we get away from +civilization. That long list Mr. Witherspoon gave me I've made up a +name for." + +"What is it, then?" asked Tom. + +"Things for a Tenderfoot Scout to Look for on His First Visit to the +Storehouse of Nature. What do you think of the title, Tom?" + +"A pretty long one, it strikes me," answered the other; "but it covers +the ground. Every one of us must have a copy, and it'll be a lot of fun +to find out who'll be the first to answer all those questions." + +"One thing I hope will happen before we start out on that hike," said +Carl. + +"Of course you're referring to that paper again, and I don't blame you +a bit. We'll do our level best to get hold of it before then," and +trying as well as he knew how to buoy up the drooping spirits of the +disappointed chum Tom locked arms with him, and in this fashion they +walked home. + +The days again drifted along into weeks. + +Scout matters were looking up decidedly in Lenox. There was even some +talk of a second rival organization among another set of boys, though +Mr. Witherspoon gave it as his opinion that nothing could ever be done +with such a wild crowd. + +"There isn't a single one among them, from what I hear and know, who +could comply with the requirements every scout is expected to have as +an asset when he makes application," was the way he put it. "Those boys +couldn't subscribe to any of the rules which govern scouts in their +daily life. They'd have to turn over a new leaf for a fact before they +could don the khaki." + +"And," said Josh Kingsley, "when such tough fellows as Tony Pollock, +Asa Green, Wedge McGuffey and Dock Phillips start to turning leaves you +can begin to see angel wings sprouting back of their shoulder blades." + +There were already five boys who had given in their names to make up a +second patrol. When it was filled they meant to join the troop, and +qualify for a better standing than greenhorns or tenderfeet. + +Larry Henderson had long since gone back to his wilderness home beyond +Bear Mountain. Twice had Tom received a letter from the old naturalist, +in which he asked a great many questions, all concerning the boys of +Lenox, in whom he had not lost interest, and what progress the new +troop was making. + +He also expressed a hearty wish that should they ever take a trip +through the section of country where he lived they would not neglect to +look him up in his cabin. + +One thing Tom and Carl had noticed of late, and this was that Dock +Phillips had taken to going with that tough crowd again. For a while +his work in the grocery store had tired him so much each day that when +evening came he had been content to go to his home, eat his supper, and +then crawl in between the sheets. + +Once more Dock was to be seen hanging around the street corners late at +night with that group of rowdies that gave the uniformed force so much +trouble. Some of them only escaped arrest on numerous occasions because +their fathers happened to be local politicians whom the police did not +wish to offend. + +Tom and Carl talked this fact over and arrived at a conclusion, which +may, and again may not, have been the true explanation. + +"Dock's getting tired of holding down his job," Tom had said, "He's +been out of school so long now that he can't be sent back; and he +doesn't like hard work either. Since his father signed the pledge he's +been working steadily enough, and perhaps Dock gets into trouble at +home because of his temper." + +"I happen to know he does for a fact," assented Carl. "He's been acting +hateful, staying out up to midnight every night, and his father has +threatened to pitch him out. I rather think he's lazy, and wants to +loaf." + +"Perhaps he thinks that he ought to be drawing a regular salary because +of that paper he's got hidden away, and which is worth so much to Amasa +Culpepper, as well as to you. To keep him quiet it may be, the old man +is paying him a few dollars every week on the sly, even though he +refuses to come down with a big lump sum." + +"Tom, would it be right for me to have another talk with Dock, and make +him an offer?" ventured Carl, hesitatingly. + +"Do you mean try to find out what the sum is he asked Amasa to pay +him?" questioned Tom; "and agree to hand it over to him just as soon as +the stock of the oil well company can be sold, after your mother gets +it again?" + +"Yes, like that. Would it be wrong in me? anything like compounding a +felony?" Carl continued. + +"I don't see how that could be wrong," the other boy answered, after +stopping to think it all over. "You have a right to offer a reward and +no questions asked for the return of your own lost or stolen property." + +"Then I'd like to try it before we settle on leaving town, Tom." + +"It would do no harm, I should think," his chum advised him. "The only +danger I can see would be if Dock took the alarm and went to Mr. +Culpepper, to tell him you were trying to outbid him for the possession +of the paper." + +"That would be apt to make him come to time with a jump, wouldn't it?" +said Carl. + +"Unless he got it into his head that Dock was only trying to frighten +him into meeting the stiff price at which he held the paper," said Tom. +"He might make out that he didn't care a pin, with the idea of forcing +Dock to come down." + +"Yes, because he would believe Dock wouldn't dare put his neck in the +noose by confessing to us he had stolen the paper. Then would you +advise me to try the plan I spoke of?" + +"If you get a good chance I should say yes." + +That was on a Wednesday afternoon, and Carl went home, his head filled +with a programme he had laid out that concerned the cornering of Dock +Phillips. + +On Thursday he learned, when home for lunch, that a new boy had come +for orders from the grocery. Carl was immediately filled with alarm. In +imagination he could see Dock and Mr. Culpepper coming to terms at +last. + +After school that afternoon he waited for Tom, to whom the startling +news was disclosed. The stunning effect of it did not seem to affect +Tom's quick acting mind. + +"Let's find out just what's happened," he remarked. "Perhaps over at +Joslyn's, next door to the Phillips's, we might pick up a clue." + +"Yes, and I know Mrs. Joslyn right well in the bargain," said Carl, +showing interest at once. "I'm sure that if I told her as a secret just +why we wanted to know about Dock she'd tell me if anything had happened +there lately." + +To the Joslyn house the two boys went. Mrs. Joslyn was an energetic +little woman, and said to be able to mind her own business. + +She listened with growing eagerness to the story, and at its conclusion +said: + +"I'm sorry for your mother, Carl, and I don't know that I can help you +any; but there was something strange that happened at the Phillips' +house last night." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +SIGNS OF TROUBLE AHEAD + + +"Was it about Dock?" asked Carl, eagerly, while Tom could see that the +color had left his face all of a sudden. + +"Yes," continued Mrs. Joslyn, "Dock seems to have fallen into the habit +of staying out until midnight, with some of those young fellows who +loaf on the corners and get into every kind of mischief they can think +up." + +"That's what we've been told was going on, ma'am," said Tom. + +"I could hear his father scolding him furiously, while his mother was +crying, and trying to make peace. Dock was ugly, too, and for a time I +thought his father was going to throw him out of the house. But in the +end it quieted down." + +"That's a new streak in Dock's father, I should say," remarked Tom. +"Time was when he used to come home himself at all hours of the night, +and in a condition that must have made his wife's heart sick." + +"Yes, but you know he's turned over a new leaf, and acts as if he meant +to stick to the water wagon," Mrs. Joslyn explained. "Somehow it's made +him just the other way, very severe with Dock. I guess he's afraid now +the boy will copy his bad example, and that's peeving Mr. Phillips." + +"But he let Dock stay in the house, you say?" Carl continued. "Then I +wonder why he didn't show up for orders this morning. The other boy +told my mother Dock was sick and couldn't come." + +Mrs. Joslyn smiled. + +"Yes, he says that," she observed. "I went over to take back a dish I +had borrowed, and he was lying on the lounge, smoking a cigarette. He +said he was real sick, but between you and me, Carl, I'm of the opinion +he's just tired of his job, and means to throw it up. He'd rather loaf +than work any day." + +Carl breathed more freely. It was of course none of his business what +Dock did with himself, though he might think the other was a mean shirk +to hang around idle when his people needed every dollar they could +scrape up. + +"Thank you for telling me this, Mrs. Joslyn," he said as with his chum +he prepared to take his departure; "it relieves my mind in several +ways. And please don't whisper my secret to any one. I still hope to +be able to get that paper from Dock sooner or later, if he doesn't come +to terms with Amasa Culpepper." + +"I promise you faithfully Carl," the little woman told him. "I guess +I'm able to hold my tongue, even if they do say my sex never can. And +Carl, you must let me know if anything happens to alter conditions, +because I'm dreadfully interested. This is the first time in all my +life I've been connected with a secret." + +"I certainly will let you know, Mrs. Joslyn," Carl promised. + +"And furthermore," she continued, "if I happen to see Dock doing +anything that looks queer or suspicious I'll get word to you. He might +happen to have his hiding-place somewhere around the back yard or the +hen house, you know. He may have buried the paper in the garden. I'll +keep an eye on the neighbors while he's home." + +Tom was chuckling at a great rate as he and Carl went down the street. + +"It looks as if you've got Mrs. Joslyn a whole lot interested, Carl," +he told the other. "She's just burning with curiosity to find out +something. Every time Dock steps out to feed the chickens she's going +to drop whatever she may be doing, and focus her eyes on him, even if +her pork chops burn to black leather." + +"I wonder what he's meaning to do?" remarked Carl, in a speculative +way. + +"Oh! just as Mrs. Joslyn told us, Dock's a lazy fellow," Tom suggested; +"and now that his father is working steadily he thinks it's time for +him to have a rest. Then we believe he's expecting sooner or later to +get a big lot of money from Mr. Culpepper, when they come to terms." + +"Yes," added Carl. "And in the meantime perhaps he's got Amasa to hand +him over a few dollars a week, just to keep him quiet. That would +supply his cigarettes, you know, and give him spending money." + +"Well, it's a question how long his father will put up with it," Tom +mused. "One of these fine days we'll likely hear that Dock has been +kicked out, and taken to the road." + +"He's going with that Tony Pollock crowd you know," Carl hinted; "and +some of them would put him up for a time. But I'm hoping we'll find a +chance to make him own up, and hand back the thing he stole. I'd like +to see my mother look happy again." + +"Does Amasa still drop in to call now and then?" asked the other. + +"Yes, but my mother insists that I sit up until he goes whenever he +does. You'd have a fit laughing, Tom, to see the black looks he gives +me. I pretend to be studying to beat the band, and in the end he has +to take his hat and go. I'm allowed to sleep an hour later after those +nights, you see, to make up. It's getting to be a regular nuisance, and +mother says she means to send him about his business; but somehow his +hide is so thick he can't take an ordinary hint. I think his middle +name should have been Rhinoceros instead of Reuben." + +"What will she do when you're away with the rest of us on that ten day +hike over Big Bear Mountain?" asked Tom. + +"Oh! she says she'll have told Mr. Culpepper before then she doesn't +want him to call again," explained Carl; "either that or else she'll +have to keep all the rest of the children up, and get them to romping +like wild Indians. You know Amasa is nervous, and can't stand noise." + +Tom laughed at the picture thus drawn of three boisterous youngsters +employed in causing an ardent wooer to take his departure. + +"It's only a few days now before we can get started, you know, Carl. +Nearly all the preparations have been made. Each scout will have his +new uniform on, with a few extra clothes in his pack." + +"We won't try to carry any tent, will we, Tom?" + +"That's been settled," came the ready answer. "At the meeting when I +was elected patrol leader we discussed this trip, and it took like +wildfire. In the first place we haven't a tent worth carrying; and then +again it would make too heavy a load. All of us have been studying up +on how to make brush shelters when in the woods, and even if it rains I +think we'll get on fairly well." + +"Each scout has a rubber poncho, which can be made mighty useful in a +pinch, I should think," said Carl. "Then besides our clothes and a +blanket, we'll have to carry a cooking outfit, as light as it can be +made, and what grub we expect to eat up." + +"Oh! most of that we'll rustle for on the way," the patrol leader told +him. "We'll find farms scattered along our route, and it'll be easy +enough to buy eggs, milk, perhaps a home-cured ham, some chickens, and +other things like bread and butter." + +"That's a great scheme, Tom, and it makes my mouth fairly water just to +talk about it. Sounds like an army foraging, only instead of taking +things we'll expect to pay cash for them. How many are going along on +the hike?" + +"I have yet to hear of any member of the Black Bear Patrol who dreams +of backing out; and there are several others who've told me they hope +to join us. The way it looks now only a bad case of sickness would be +able to keep any scout from being in line on that wonderful morning +when Lenox Troop marches out of town headed for Big Bear Mountain." + +"One good thing, we don't have to pack any heavy guns along with us," +declared Carl. + +"No, that's absolutely forbidden," the patrol leader declared; "we can +take a fishing rod if we feel like it, because there's a chance to pick +up some trout or bass before we come back on the down-river boat ten +days later." + +"I like that idea of making the return trip by water," Carl continued. +"It will be great after so much tramping and camping. Besides, some of +the boys have never been fifteen miles up the river before, and so the +trip is going to be a picnic for them." + +"Come over to-night and do your cramming for the exam with me," +suggested Tom. + +"I'd like to the worst kind," the other boy said with a grimace; "but +this is the night Mr. Culpepper generally pops in, and you see I'm on +guard. But I'm hoping mother will give him his walking papers pretty +soon now." + +"You would have to put a bomb under his chair to convince Amasa that +his space was more desired than his company," laughed Tom, as he strode +off toward his own comfortable home. + +The days passed, and since school would be over for the year at the end +of the week, in the bustle of examinations and all that they meant for +each boy scout, the intended outing was over-shadowed for the time +being. + +When, however, several of the scouts got together of course the talk +soon drifted toward the subject of the hike, and many were the +wonderful projects advanced, each of which seemed to give promise of a +glorious prospect ahead. + +So Friday night finally came. + +School had been dismissed with all the accustomed ceremonies that +afternoon, and there were few of the boys who had not gone up to a +higher grade, so that when the last meeting before their expected +vacation trip was called to order by the president of the organization +it was a care-free and happy assemblage that answered the roll-call. + +Mr. Witherspoon, the scout master, was on hand, but he seldom +interfered with the routine of the meeting. It was his opinion that +boys got on much better if allowed to manage things as much as possible +after their own ideas. If his advice was needed at any time he stood +ready to give it; and meanwhile he meant to act more as a big brother +to the troop than its leading officer. + +Of course Mr. Witherspoon expected to start out on the hike with the +boys. His only fear was that he might not be allowed to finish the +outing in their company, since he was liable to be called away at any +time on urgent business. + +The usual routine of the meeting was gone through with, and then a +general discussion took place in connection with the anticipated hike. +They had laid out the plan of campaign as well as they could, +considering that none of the boys had actually been over the entire +route before. + +"That makes it all the more interesting," Tom had told them; "because +we'll be apt to meet with a few surprises on the way. None of us would +like to have anything all cut and dried ahead of time, I'm sure." + +"It's generally the unexpected that gives the most pleasure," declared +Josh Kingsley, who was known to have leanings toward being a great +inventor some fine day, and always hoped to make an important discovery +while he experimented in his workshop in the old red barn back of his +home. + +"Well," remarked George Cooper, getting slowly to his feet, "there may +be some things that drop in on you unexpected like that don't seem to +give you a whit of pleasure, and I can name one right now." + +"Oh come, George, you old growler, you're just trying to throw cold +water on our big scheme," complained Felix Robbins, trying to pull the +other down. + +"I've seen him shaking his head lots of times all evening," asserted +Billy Button, "and I just guessed George was aching to make us feel +bad. He's never so happy as when he's making other folks miserable." + +George refused to take his seat. He even shrugged his shoulders as +though he thought his comrades were hardly treating him fairly. + +"Listen, fellows," he said, solemnly and ponderously; "I don't like to +be the bird of ill omen that carries the bad news; but honest to +goodness I'm afraid there's a heap of trouble looming up on the horizon +for us unless we change our plans for a hike over Big Bear Mountain." + +"What sort of trouble do you mean, George?" asked the patrol leader. + +"Only this, Mr. President," said George, "on the way here I learned +that Tony Pollock, Wedge McGuffey, Asa Green and Dock Phillips had +started off this very afternoon, meaning to spend a week or more +tramping over Big Bear Mountain; and I guess they've got it in for our +crowd." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +NO SURRENDER + + +"It looks like a set-up job to me!" declared Josh Kingsley, with a ring +of honest indignation in his voice. + +"They've been hearing so much talk about what a great time we meant to +have, it's just made them green with envy; that's what I think," +ventured Horace Crapsey. + +"Yes, but why pick out Big Bear Mountain," Felix wanted to know; +"unless they meant to spy on the scouts, and give us all the trouble +they could?" + +There were signs of anger visible on every side. Scouts may be taught +that it is noble to forgive those who wrong them, but all the same they +are human, and deep down in their boyish hearts is the resentment any +one with spirit feels at being imposed upon. + +"We haven't lifted a finger to interfere with anything that crowd +wanted to do," said Walter Douglass, aggressively; "and they have no +business to upset our plans." + +"Huh! just let them try it, that's all!" grunted Josh, shaking his +head. + +"We had an experience something like this over in Winchester, where I +belonged to the scouts before moving to Lenox," remarked Rob Shaefer, +one of the two new boys. + +"Do you mean some rowdies tried to make trouble for you?" asked Carl. + +"In every way they could," the new boy replied. "We stood it as long as +we could, and then acted." + +"What did you do to them?" asked Mr. Witherspoon, with an amused smile, +for he liked to see these wide-awake lads figure out their own plans, +and was greatly interested in listening to their discussions as they +worked them out. + +"When it became unbearable," said Rob, gravely, though his eyes +twinkled, "we ducked the whole five in a frog pond, and after that they +let us alone." + +"Cooled 'em off, eh?" chuckled Josh, whom the account seemed to amuse +very much. "Well, that isn't a bad idea, fellows. Frog ponds have their +uses besides supplying messes of delicious frog-legs for eating. +Anybody know of a pond that's got a nice green coating of scum on the +top? That's the kind I'd like to see Tony and his bunch scrambling +around it." + +"Oh! the pond will crop up all right when the time comes," asserted +Felix Robbins, confidently; "they always do, you know." + +"But what are we going to do about this thing?" asked Tom, as the +chairman of the meeting. "Motions are in order. Somebody make a +suggestion, so we can get the sense of the troop." + +"One thing certain," observed George, "we've got to give up the plan +we've mapped out, and change our programme--or else count on running +foul of Tony and his crowd. Which is it going to be?" + +A chorus of indignant remonstrances immediately arose. + +"Why should we take water when we laid our plans first?" one demanded. + +"There are only four of them, all told, while we expect to number ten, +perhaps a full dozen!" another scout announced. + +"I don't believe in knuckling down to any ugly lot of fellows that +chooses to knock up against us," and Josh must have expressed the +feelings of most of those present when he said this, for there was a +chorus of "my sentiments exactly," as soon as he finished. + +Then, somehow, all eyes began to turn toward the scout master. They had +come to think a great deal of Mr. Witherspoon. He seemed to have a +great love for boys implanted in his heart, and was thus an ideal +scout master; for there was always an exchange of sympathy between him +and his charges. + +"You want to know what I think of it, boys?" he started to say. + +"It would have a heap of influence on our actions, sir--even if we did +hate to play second fiddle to that crowd," admitted Felix. + +"But I can see no reason why we should do that," the scout master +immediately told them, and at this the anxious look on many faces gave +way to one of satisfaction. + +"Then you don't want us to give up the Big Bear Mountain hike, and make +up another programme; is that it, Mr. Witherspoon?" asked Tom, who had +not been quite so much concerned as some of the others, because he +believed he knew the nature of their efficient scout master, and that +he was not one of the "back-down" kind. + +"Why should we do that?" replied the other, quietly. "We are not +supposed to be aware of the fact that these four rowdies have gone off +in that direction. Our plain duty is to follow out our original plans, +go about our own business, interfering with no one, and at the same +time standing up for our rights." + +At hearing this some of the boys turned and exchanged expressive grins; +others even shook hands with each other. Fair play was something they +admired above all things; and this manly stand on the part of their +scout master pleased them immensely. + +"We're all glad to hear you say that, Mr. Witherspoon," the chairman of +the meeting told him. "I'm sure I voice the sentiments of every scout +present when I say that while we'll try to avoid trouble up to a +certain point, there's going to be a limit to our forbearance." + +"And the frog-pond cure is always available as a last resort," added +the new boy from Winchester. + +"Now let us try to forget all about this disagreeable topic, and go on +with the discussion concerning the things we should take with us," the +scout master suggested. "Scouts should always be able to meet an +emergency, no matter how suddenly it is forced on them. We'll be +prepared, but at the same time not borrow trouble." + +Accordingly all mention of Tony Pollock and his scapegrace cronies was +avoided as they once more entered into a warm but perfectly friendly +argument. + +There was one among them, however, who seemed to still look troubled. +This was no other than Carl Oskamp. Glancing toward his chum several +times, Tom could see the lines on his forehead, and he was also able +to give a pretty good guess why this should be so. + +Of course, it was all on account of the fact that when George made his +announcement concerning the movements of Tony Pollock he had stated +that Dock Phillips was one of the group that had left town, bent on +spending a week on Big Bear Mountain. + +This meant that the new scheme which Carl had expected to "try out" on +the coming Saturday night could not be attempted, because the object of +his attention would be far away. + +Tom meant to comfort his chum after the meeting, when they were walking +home together. He could see further than Carl, and would be able to +find more or less encouragement in the way things were working. + +Scout affairs were certainly picking up in Lenox of late. Perhaps the +coming to town of Rob Shaefer and Stanley Ackerman, who had both +belonged to troops in the past, may have had considerable to do with +it. + +At any rate the new Wolf Patrol numbered five, and other boys were +showing a disposition to make application for membership. Rob Shaefer +was booked for the patrol leader, because of his previous experience +along those lines, as well as the fact that he was becoming well liked +in Lenox boy circles. + +The other new boy, while a pretty fair sort of fellow, did not have the +same winning qualities that Rob did. Some of them even thought he felt +envious because of Rob's popularity, though if this were true, he took +the wrong means to supplant his rival in the affection of their new +friends. + +As this would be the last chance to talk things over, every little +detail had to be settled before the meeting broke up. Each boy who +expected to accompany the expedition starting out to explore Big Bear +Mountain was directed what to carry with him. + +"And remember," Mr. Witherspoon told them as a final caution, "we +expect to do much tramping under a hot June sun, so that every ounce +you have to carry along will tell on your condition. Limit your pack to +the bare necessities as we've figured them out, and if necessary the +strong will assist the weak. That's about all for to-night, boys. Seven +sharp on Monday morning outside the church here, unless it's stormy. +The church bell will ring at six if we are going." + +The boys gave a cheer as the meeting broke up. And it was a +merry-hearted lot of lads that started forth bound for various homes +where there would be more or less of a bustle and excitement until the +hour of departure arrived on Monday morning. + +Tom and Carl walked home together. + +"I could see what ailed you, Carl," the patrol leader was saying as he +locked arms with his chum; "you felt as though things were going +against you when George announced that Dock had left town." + +"Because now I'll not have a chance to try out that second plan we'd +arranged for, and which I had great hopes might succeed," complained +Carl, gloomily. + +"Cheer up," urged the other, in his hearty fashion; "perhaps things are +working your way after all. How do we know but that a glorious chance +may come up and that you can win out yet? Dock has gone to Big Bear +Mountain, where we expect to camp. In a whole week or more we're apt to +run across him maybe many times. And Carl, something seems to tell me +your chance is going to come while we're off on this hike. Dock hasn't +settled with Mr. Culpepper yet, that's certain; and he's got that paper +hidden away still. Keep up your hopes, and it's sure to come out all +right yet. Besides, think what a grand time we're going to have on our +outing!" + + + + +CHAPTER X + +READY FOR THE START + + +On the following day, which was Saturday, there was considerable +visiting among the scouts who so proudly wore their new khaki suits. +Conferences were of hourly occurrence, blankets brought out for +inspection and comment, packs made up and taken to pieces again, and +all manner of advice asked concerning the best way to carry the same. + +Each boy had a written list of what he was expected to provide. This +was a part of the wonderful system Tom Chesney had inaugurated. He had +told them it was copied from the methods in vogue in the German army, +so that in case of a hurried mobilization every man capable of bearing +arms in the whole empire would know exactly what his particular duty +was. + +This scout was to carry a generous frying-pan, made of sheet-steel to +reduce the weight; another had to look out for the coffee-pot, which +was also to hold enough for at least six thirsty campers. So it went +on through the whole list of necessities. + +There were to be two messes of five or six each, and the second had a +duplicate list of cooking utensils, as well as food to look after. +Nothing had been omitted that Tom, assisted by several others who had +had more or less camping experience, could think of. + +It was about eleven this Saturday morning when Tom, doing a little work +among his vegetables in the kitchen garden, heard his name called. +Glancing up he discovered Carl standing there by the fence that +separated the garden from the highway. + +Immediately Tom realized that something new must have happened to make +his chum appear so downcast. His first fear was that Mr. Culpepper had +been asked by Carl's mother for the securities, and had flatly denied +ever having had them. + +"Hello! what's gone wrong now, Carl?" he asked, as he hurried over to +join the boy who was leaning both elbows on the picket fence, and +holding his head in his hands. + +"It seems as though everything is going wrong with us nowadays, Tom," +sighed poor Carl. + +"Anything more about that stolen paper?" asked Tom. + +"No, it's something else this time," Carl replied. "Just as if we +didn't have enough to worry about already." + +"No one sick over at your house, is there?" demanded the other, +anxiously. + +"I'm glad to say that isn't the case," Carl told him. "Fact is, some +bad news came in a letter mother had this morning from a lawyer in the +city who manages her small affairs." + +"Was it about that tenement house she owns, and the rents from which +comes part of her income?" continued Tom, quick to make a guess, for he +knew something about the affairs of Carl's folks. + +The other nodded his head as he went on to explain: + +"It burned down, and through some mistake of a clerk part of the +insurance was allowed to lapse, so that we will not be able to collect +on more than half. Isn't that hard luck though, Tom?" + +"I should say it is," declared the other, with a look of sympathy on +his face. "But if it was the fault of the lawyer's clerk why shouldn't +he be held responsible for the loss? I'd think that was only fair in +the eye of the law." + +"Oh!" said Carl, quickly, "but my mother says he's really a poor man, +and hasn't anything. Besides, he's been conducting her little business +since father died without charging a cent for his labor, so you see +there's no hope of our collecting more than half of the insurance." + +"Too bad, and I'm mighty sorry," Tom told him. + +"Coming on top of our losing that paper you can imagine how my mother +feels," continued the other; "though she tries to be cheerful, and +keeps on telling me she knows everything is sure to come out right in +the end. Still I can see that while she puts on a brave face it's only +to keep me from feeling so blue. When she's all alone I'm sure she +cries, for I can see her eyes are red when I happen to come in on her +unexpectedly." + +"Nothing can be done, I suppose, Carl?" + +"Not a thing," the other boy replied. "That is what makes me furious. +If you can only see what's hitting you, and strike back, it does a +whole lot of good. Unless something crops up to make things look +brighter between now and fall there's one thing certain." + +"What's that?" asked Tom, though he believed he could give a pretty +good guess, knowing the independent spirit of his chum so well. + +"I shall have to quit school, and go to work at something or other. My +mother will never be able to meet expenses, even in the quiet way we +live, now that part of her little income is cut off. A few hundred +dollars a year means a lot to us, you see." + +"Oh, I hope it won't come to that," said Tom. "A whole lot may happen +between now and the beginning of the fall term. For all we know that +missing paper may be recovered, which would put your folks on Easy +street." + +"That's about the last hope, then," admitted Carl. "It's all I'm +counting on; and even then the chances seem to be against us." + +"But you won't think of backing down about going on this grand hike +over Big Bear Mountain, I hope?" remarked the patrol leader. + +"I believe I'd lack the heart to do it, Tom, leaving mother feeling so +bad; only for one thing." + +"Meaning the fact that Dock Phillips is somewhere up there on the +mountain; that's what you've got in your mind, isn't it, Carl?" + +"Yes, and what you said last night keeps haunting me all the time, Tom. +What if I did run across the chance to make Dock own up, and got him to +give me that precious paper? It would make everything look bright +again--for with the boom on in the oil region that stock must be worth +thousands of dollars to-day, if only we can get hold of the certificate +again." + +"Well, you're going to; things often work in a queer way, and that's +what is happening now. And I feel as sure as anything that Mr. +Culpepper's stinginess in holding out against Dock's demands is going +to be his undoing." + +Such confident talk as this could not help having its effect on Carl. +He had in fact come over to Tom's house knowing that he was sure to get +comfort there. + +"You make me feel better already, Tom," he asserted, as he took the +hand the other boy thrust over the top of the garden fence; "and I'm +going to try and look at it as a true scout should, believing that the +sun is still shining back of the clouds." + +"I'm about through with my work here in the garden," Tom told him, "so +suppose you come around to the gate, or hop over the fence here. We'll +go up to my room and take a look over the stuff that I expect to pack +out of Lenox Monday A. M. I want to ask your opinion about several +things, and was thinking of calling you up on the 'phone when I heard +you speak just now." + +Of course the main object Tom had in view was not so much getting +Carl's opinion as to arouse his interest in the projected trip, so that +for the time being he might forget his troubles. + +The two boys spent an hour chatting, and consulting a map Tom produced +that was supposed to cover most of the Big Bear Mountain territory. It +had been made by an old surveyor some years back, simply to amuse +himself, and while not quite up to date might be said to be fairly +accurate. + +Mr. Witherspoon had secured this chart and loaned it to Tom, for there +was always a possibility of his receiving a sudden call on business +that would take him away from town, when the duty of engineering the +trip must fall to the leader of the Black Bear Patrol as the second in +command. + +That was going to be an unusually long and tedious Sunday for a good +many boys in Lenox. Doubtless they would have their thoughts drawn from +the sermon, as they sat with their folks in the family pews. And, too, +looking out of the window at the waving trees they would probably +picture themselves far away on the wooded slope of Big Bear Mountain, +perhaps making their first camp, and starting the glorious fire around +which, as the night drew on, they would gather to tell stories and sing +school songs. + +And it could be set down as certain that few of those who expected to +join the adventurous spirits starting forth on the long mountain hike +slept very soundly on the last night. + +When the hour agreed on, seven o'clock, came around, there was a scene +of bustle under the tower of the church, where the scouts had gathered, +together with many friends both young and old who meant to give them a +noisy send-off on their hike over Big Bear Mountain. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +ON THE WAY + + +Amidst many hearty cheers and the clapping of hands the Boy Scouts +started off. Felix Robbins had been elected bugler of the troop, and as +there was no regular instrument for him, he had thought to fetch along +the fish horn the boys used in playing fox and geese. + +This he sounded with considerable vim as the khaki-clad lads marched +away, with a flag at their head, the scout master keeping step +alongside the column. + +Some of the older people had come to see them off. Others hurried to +the open doors and windows at the sound of the horn and the cheers, to +wave their hands and give encouraging smiles. + +It was a proud time for those boys. They stood up as straight as +ramrods, and held their heads with the proud consciousness that for the +time being they were the center of attraction. + +There were ten in all starting forth. More might have gone, only that +no scout not wearing the khaki could accompany the expedition; and +besides the members of the Black Bear Patrol, Rob Shaefer and Stanley +Ackerman were the only two who could boast of a uniform. + +A number of boys accompanied them for a mile or so, to give them a good +send-off; after which they either returned home or else went over the +river fishing. + +For the first two miles or so every one seemed to be standing the tramp +well. Then as it began to get warmer, and the pack, somehow, seemed to +increase in weight, several scouts lagged a little. + +Seeing this, and understanding that it is always an unwise thing to +push a horse or a human being in the beginning of a long race, Mr. +Witherspoon thought it best to slacken their pace. + +They were in no particular hurry to get anywhere; and once heels began +to get sore from the rubbing of their shoes, it would not be easy to +cure them again. The wise scout master was a believer in the motto that +"an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure." + +Ahead of them loomed the lofty elevation that possibly from its shape +had long been known as Big Bear Mountain. The boys had tried to learn +just how it came by that name--and naturally this subject interested +them more than ever as they found themselves drawing steadily closer to +its foot. + +"It doesn't look so _very_ much like a bear to me," George Kingsley +remarked, as the discussion waxed warmer. Though for that matter George +always did find some reason to object to almost everything. + +"I was told by an old settler who ought to know," ventured Tom, "that +long ago numerous bears lived in the rocky dens of the mountain, and +that's how it came to be called as it is." + +"Must have been years and years ago then," said Josh, "because I never +remember hearing about a bear being seen hereabouts. I often used to +look for bear tracks when I was out hunting, but of course I never +found one." + +"Wouldn't it be a great thing if we did happen on a real bear while we +were out on this hike?" suggested Billy Button, who was rather given to +stretches of imagination, and seeing things where they did not exist. + +So they beguiled the time away as they tramped along. Gradually they +approached the great gloomy looking mountain, and it was seen that by +the time they stopped for their noon meal they would probably be at its +foot. + +Tom and Carl were walking together, for somehow the boys seemed to pair +off as a general thing. Carl was looking brighter now, as though in the +excitement of the start he might have temporarily forgotten his +troubles. + +"There don't seem to be so many farms up this way as we thought," Tom +observed as they found themselves walking close beside a stretch of +woodland, with a gully on the other side of the road. + +"That may make it harder for us to get the supplies we'll need, I +should think," suggested Carl, who knew the leaders of the expedition +had counted on finding hospitable farmers from time to time, from whom +they could purchase bread, butter, and perhaps smoked ham or bacon, +very little of which had been carried with them--in fact no more than +would be required for a few meals. + +"Yes," admitted Tom readily enough. "But then it will afford us a +chance to show our ability as scouts--and if you look at it the right +way that counts for a lot. When everything goes according to the +schedule you've arranged there isn't much credit in doing things; but +when you're up against it good and hard, and have to shut your teeth +and fight, then when you accomplish things you've got a right to feel +satisfied." + +Carl knew full well there was a hidden significance beneath these words +of his chum's--and that Tom was once more trying to buoy up his hopes. + +Since they had struck a portion of country not so thickly populated, +the observing scouts had commenced to notice numerous interesting +sights that attracted their attention. Soon every boy was straining +his eyesight in the hope of discovering new things among the trees, in +the air overhead, or it might be amidst the shadows of the woodland +alongside the country road. + +The scout master encouraged this habit of observation all he could. He +knew that once it got a firm hold upon the average boy he could never +again pass along a road or trail in the country without making +numberless discoveries. What had once been a sealed book to his eyes +would now become as an open page. + +About this time there were heard inquiries as to when they expected to +stop and have a bite of lunch. Tom and the scout master had already +arranged this, and when the third scout was heard to say he felt as +hungry as a wolf, Tom took it upon himself to explain. + +"If you look ahead," he remarked, so that all could hear, "you'll +notice where a hump of the mountain seems to hang over the road. That's +about where we expect to rest an hour or so." + +"Must be something unusual about this particular place, I should say, +for you to settle on it ahead of time this way," remarked wise Josh in +his Yankee way. + +"There is," Tom informed him. "According to my map here, and what +information I've been able to pick up, there's a fine cold spring +bubbles up alongside the road right there; and for one I'm feeling the +need of a good drink the worst kind." + +After that it was noticed that even the laggards began to show unusual +energy, as if the prospect of soon being able to throw themselves down +and slake their thirst, as well as satisfy their hunger, appealed +forcibly to them. + +It was close on to noon when finally, with a shout, they hurried +forward and dropped their packs close to where the ice-cold spring +flowed. + +"Queer how heavy those old packs do get the longer you carry them," +observed George, as he waited for his turn to lie down and drink his +fill of the spring water. + +"You're a suspicious sort of fellow, George," declared Felix; "I've +seen you turn around as quick as a flash, just as if you thought some +other scout might be hanging his pack on to yours, so as to make you +carry double." + +George turned redder than he had already become under the force of the +sun; but he did not deny the accusation. + +It was decided not to light a fire at noon. They could eat a cold lunch +and wash it down with water. + +"We'll keep our fire for this evening," said Mr. Witherspoon; "you know +it is generally quite a ceremony--the starting of the first campfire +when scouts go off on a long trip." + +Waiting until the sun had started well on his way down the heavens, +and there had arisen a little breeze that made it more bearable, the +scout master finally had Felix sound his fish horn for the signal to +"fall in." + +Some of the boys did not show quite as much animation as on that other +occasion. They were not accustomed to walking for hours, and would have +to get used to it through experience. + +An hour later they were straggling along, some of them on the other +side of a wire fence that separated the road from the woods, as there +seemed to be a chance of making interesting discoveries there. + +"Look at that red squirrel hanging head down to the bark on the trunk +of that tree!" exclaimed Billy Button; "I never noticed just how they +did that stunt before." + +"Huh! lots of us are seeing things through a magnifying glass since we +joined the scouts," admitted Felix. "Seems as if the scales have been +taken from my eyes, and I find a thousand things worth looking at all +around me." + +"Well, here comes one right now, Felix; and he's a bouncer at that!" +cried the third of the group that had invaded the woods beyond the +barbed-wire fence. + +Even as he spoke there was a furious barking, and a savage-looking dog +came tearing swiftly toward them, evidently bent on doing mischief. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE FIRST CAMP-FIRE + + +"Help, he's going to eat us all up!" shouted Billy Button. + +Felix and Rob Shaefer did not like the looks of the oncoming dog any +more than did Billy. Being more pugnacious by nature, however, instead +of making a frantic dash over the wire fence, and trying to crawl +through between the strands at the risk of tearing their clothes, they +hurried to snatch up some clubs which would serve them as a means of +defence. + +The dog acted as if he meant business. They were trespassing on his +master's territory, and as the guardian appointed to defend this ground +he assailed the intruders without fear or favor. + +They had quite a lively time of it, what with the shouting, the loud +bursts of laughter from those scouts who were safe on the other side of +the fence, and the agonized cries of Billy Button, caught fast in the +grip of the barbed-wire, and expecting to be devoured. + +Both Felix and Rob had luckily managed to secure fairly strong pieces +of broken limbs from the trees. With these they boldly assaulted the +dog, and kept him from jumping on the helpless comrade until some of +the others came to Billy's assistance, and by raising the wires allowed +him to crawl through. + +Tom and George hastened to join in the fray for it was evident that the +savage dog would have to be beaten off before those who were in danger +could find a chance to reach the road again. + +With four enemies against him the dog concluded that he had done all +that could be expected of him, and that it was now no dishonor to beat +a masterly retreat; which he accordingly did. + +The boys pretended to chase after him, with loud shouts; but seeing +their opportunity to escape made haste to put the wire fence between +themselves and the owner of those cruel white fangs. As long as he +could follow them from his side of the barrier the dog continued to +bark savagely; but did not offer to leave his own domain. + +After all Billy Button was the only one to suffer, and he had a fine +big three-cornered hole in his coat. + +"Going into the real-estate business, are you, Billy?" asked Josh, who +could always see a chance for a joke. + +"Oh! am I?" retorted the other. "What makes you think that, Josh?" + +"Because you've got a sign up 'to rent,'" is what the other told him. + +"Didn't I see that dog take hold of you by the leg, Felix, at the time +you struck him so hard on the head with your club?" Mr. Witherspoon +asked. + +"Yes, sir, but he only dented my leggings, you see," the bugler +replied, as he showed where the marks of the animal's teeth could be +plainly seen; "that's the good of having extra-thick canvas leggings +on; they save you from snake bites and all sorts of other things that +you don't want." + +"It was a pretty lively skirmish while it lasted, let me tell you," +admitted Rob Shaefer, who had seemed quite to enjoy the affair. + +Another hour or more passed, with the column straggling along, and some +of the boys showing positive signs of fatigue. Mr. Witherspoon had been +consulting with the leader of the Black Bear Patrol, and evidently they +had reached a conclusion, for presently the welcome order was given to +turn into the woods, as the day's hike was at an end. + +Gladly did those tired lads obey the call. And one of the first things +they discovered was that there was another cold spring nearby, the +presence of which, of course, had been known to those who carried the +chart of the region. + +First of all they dropped down to rest themselves. Later on, when they +were feeling more like doing things, they would start to put the camp +in order, get the fires started, and perhaps erect some sort of rude +shelter that to a certain degree would take the place of tents. + +Finally some of the more enterprising began to stir around. Josh took +it upon himself to provide a fireplace made out of stones which lay +conveniently near. It was to be built according to the best formula he +knew, something in the shape of a letter V, with the large end toward +the wind; and across the top of the stones they would lay their iron +rods, thus forming a gridiron on which would rest the frying-pan and +the coffee-pot. + +"I'll duplicate your cooking fire, Josh," said Rob Shaefer, who meant +to show some of his new chums a few wrinkles he had learned when in +camp on other occasions. + +Half an hour before the sun went down both fires were crackling at a +great rate; and when good beds of red embers should have formed +operations looking to supper would be started by those in charge of the +occasion. + +Everybody took a deep interest in what was now going on. All sorts of +suggestions were called back and forth as the ham was sliced and the +potatoes put in the pots for boiling; while further along the fires the +two coffee-pots began to emit a most delightful and appetizing odor +that made the hungry boys wild with impatience. + +The spot where they had determined to spend their first night out was +in the midst of the woods. Around them the forest trees lay on every +side, some being great oaks, others beeches, with drooping branches and +smooth silvery bark--as well as other species, such as sycamore, ash +and lindens. + +Most of the scouts were bubbling over with enthusiasm concerning the +outlook before them; but several of the less daring ones might be seen +casting furtive glances about as though the prospect of passing the +night amidst such lonely surroundings had already commenced to make +them feel a little queer. + +No doubt the pride of these fellows would carry them through the +initial night; and after that by degrees they would become accustomed +to their new experiences. Every soldier can look back to his first +battle, remembering how he trembled in his shoes, and feeling that he +would give all he possessed for the privilege of running away at top +speed. + +And when supper was ready, with the boys gathered around, each bent on +doing the best he knew how to show his appreciation of the work of the +cooks, it seemed to be the fitting climax to a most wonderful day. +Would they ever forget that supper? Never had anything tasted so +royally good at home. + +"This is the life!" declared Josh Kingsley, buoyantly, as he passed his +tin plate along for a second helping when he heard it mentioned that +there was still a further supply not distributed. + +"It certainly does taste pretty fine to me!" admitted Horace Crapsey, +who had in times gone by been so finicky about his eating that his +folks had begun to wonder what was going to become of him--yet who was +now sitting there cross-legged like a Turk, wielding an ordinary knife +and fork, and with his pannikin on his lap, actually doing without a +napkin, and enjoying it in the bargain. + +Mr. Witherspoon had the seat of honor, for the boys insisted that he +should occupy the highest place on the log that had been rolled near +the fires. He observed all that went on with satisfaction. Boys were +close to his heart, and he never tired of his hobby of studying them. +It was a constant source of delight to the scout master to listen to +them chatter, and he noticed that a perceptible change was taking place +in some of his charges since first joining the troop. + +Finally when every youth admitted that he had had all he could eat, +Mr. Witherspoon got up. + +"Now it's full time we started our _real_ campfire," he announced. +"That was why I had you gather such a big heap of wood. Here's the +right place for the blaze, as we must be careful not to scorch any of +the trees, the branches of which hang down over us, because this +property belongs to some one, and we must respect his rights." + +He had no trouble about finding willing workers, because every one +acted as if anxious to have a hand in the building of that first +campfire, to be recorded in the annals of Lenox Troop as an event of +unusual importance. + +When finally the pyramid had been carefully built the scout master was +asked to apply the match. + +"Unfortunately I do not know the customary procedure on such momentous +occasions," he told the boys, as they formed a circle around the pile; +"and all I can say is that with this match I am about to dedicate this +fire to the useful purpose of bringing all our hearts in tune with our +surroundings. For to-night then, we will try to believe ourselves real +vagabonds, or children of the forest, sitting around the sanctuary at +which every camper worships--the crackling fire!" + +Then the blaze began to seize hold of the wood, and amidst the cheers +of the enthusiastic scouts the fire got fully under way. + +High leaped the red flames, so that presently there was a general +backward movement, on account of the heat. Had it been November instead +of June, they would doubtless have enjoyed the cheery warmth much more. + +Each boy managed to pick out a comfortable place, and then the talk +began to grow general. Plans for the morrow and the succeeding days +were being discussed with much ardor. + +It was while this was going on, and the scouts were all feeling most +happy that with but scant warning a discomforting element was suddenly +injected into Camp Content. Moving figures, harsh voices, together with +the half strangled barks of dogs held in leash startled the seated +campers. Two rough-looking men, evidently a farmer and his hired man, +armed with guns, and holding a couple of dogs by ropes, came in sight +close by. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE LIFE THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAVED + + +"Hey! what d'ye mean by trespassin' on my ground? I'll have the law on +ye for darin' to build a big bonfire like that! No tramp convention c'n +threaten to set fire to my woods, let me tell ye!" + +The man in the lead was shouting this in an angry voice as he bustled +forward, with his dog growling and straining to get free. Of course +every one of the boys scrambled to his feet in a hurry. The sight of +their khaki uniforms seemed to give the big farmer a decided shock, for +they saw him come to a stop. + +"What's this here?" he exclaimed, as he stared at the dozen lads. "Tell +me, am I seein' things Bill Scruggs? Is it the State Militia dropped +down on us? Is there a war on?" + +Mr. Witherspoon, who was of course in uniform, stepped to the front and +made the old fellow a military salute that must have gone far toward +soothing his ruffled feelings. + +"We're sorry if we've intruded on your ground, sir," he said in that +convincing voice of his. "The fact is these are some of the Boy Scouts +of Lenox, a troop that has lately been organized. I am Robert +Witherspoon, the surveyor, and if I'm not mistaken I did some work for +you a few months ago, Mr. Brush." + +"That's a fact ye did, Mr. Witherspoon," declared the farmer, with less +venom in his tone. "Seems like I didn't know ye with them togs on." + +"I'm acting as scout master to these lads just now," continued the +other, in his conciliatory way. "One of the rules of the organization +is that each troop must have a grown person to serve with them, so that +any undue boyish spirits may be kept within reasonable bounds." + +"So I read in the paper, Mr. Witherspoon," continued the countryman. + +"Won't you tie up your dogs, Mr. Brush, and come and join us here +before the fire?" asked the scout master, who doubtless had more or +less faith in the ability of a cheery blaze to curb animosity. + +They saw the farmer rub his chin with his hand. He seemed to be +debating within himself as to whether or not it would be advisable to +comply with such a friendly invitation. + +"Well, p'raps I mightn't git such a good chance to look scouts over +again as this here one," he presently said, half to himself. "I've +been reading a hull lot lately 'bout the doin's of the boys. Got three +lads o' my own yet," and there he was seen to swallow something that +seemed almost to choke him. + +"Then for their sake you ought to be interested in this great movement, +Mr. Brush," said the scout master; "I remember a bright boy of yours +who was very much interested in the little surveying work I did for you +that day. He helped me some, and said he thought he'd like to be a +civil engineer when he grew up. If he joined the scouts that desire +might be encouraged, sir, I assure you." + +"Oh, they been pesterin' the life outen me to let 'em jine, but I ain't +had no faith in the thing," Mr. Brush went on to say, with a stubborn +shake of the head. + +He had by this time tied up his dog, and was accepting a seat on the +log close to the obliging scout master. The boys were satisfied to let +Mr. Witherspoon do the most of the talking. They could see that he +meant to open the eyes of this unbeliever, and show him a few things +that he ought to know. + +"Just why did you frown on the scout movement, may I ask, sir?" Mr. +Witherspoon continued, quietly. + +"Well, in the fust place I don't calc'late that my boys be brought up +to be food for gunpowder," replied the farmer. + +"Then like a good many people you think Boy Scouts in this country are +intended to become a part of the military defences; is that it, Mr. +Brush?" + +"Do you mean to tell me it ain't so, Mr. Witherspoon?" asked the +farmer. + +"Nothing is further from the truth than that, as I'll prove to you in a +dozen ways, if you care to listen," the scout master told him. + +"Fire away, then," said the farmer. "I'm not hide-bound ye know, and +allers open to conviction; so tell me why I orter let my three boys +jine the scouts." + +Mr. Witherspoon started in and explained the fundamental principles +upon which the new movement was organized. He soon convinced the farmer +that there was not the slightest intention on the part of those having +the matter in hand to incorporate the scouts into a National Defence +Movement. + +"Was that the only objection you had, Mr. Brush?" he asked when the +farmer frankly admitted that he had been wrong in his opinion. + +"I reckoned that these boys only got together and wore uniforms for a +big lark," was the reply to his question. "I ought to know what boys is +like, havin' had four of my own." + +"Then you have lost one, have you sir?" questioned the scout master, +not from idle curiosity, either, Tom Chesney felt positive. + +The old man heaved a great sigh. + +"Yes, my youngest, and the darling o' his maw's heart, little Jim. Only +last summer he was off swimmin' with several o' his chums, and got +caught with a cramp. They got him out, brave enough, but--he never kim +to agin." + +Mr. Witherspoon cast a quick and meaning glance around the circle of +eager faces. Several of the scouts nodded in a significant fashion as +though they guessed what was flashing through the mind of their leader. + +"Mr. Brush," said the scout master, gravely, "I'd like to tell you some +things that to my own personal knowledge scouts have done; things that +they never would have been capable of performing in the wide world had +they remained outside of this organization that first of all teaches +them to be manly, independent, helpful to others, and true to +themselves. May I, sir?" + +"Jest as ye please, Mr. Witherspoon," came the low reply, for the +farmer had evidently been partly overcome with the sad remembrance of +the vacant chair, and the face he missed so much at his table. + +The scout master went about it in a very able manner. Again he +explained the numerous duties of a scout, and how he was taught to +render first aid to the injured in case, for instance, his services +should ever be needed when some comrade cut himself with an ax, and was +in peril of bleeding to death. + +"There are other ways," Mr. Witherspoon continued, "in which the scout +is instructed to be able to depend on himself should he be lost in the +wilderness, caught in a tornado, tempted to take refuge in a barn, or +under an exposed tree during a thunder storm." + +"All o' that sounds mighty interestin', I must say, sir!" commented the +farmer, deeply interested. + +"To my own personal knowledge, Mr. Brush," finally said the other, "on +three separate occasions I have known of cases where a boy in swimming +was apparently dead when dragged from the water after having been under +for several minutes; in every one of those instances his scout +companions, working according to the rules that had become a part of +their education, managed to revive the fluttering spark of life and +save the lad!" + +There was an intense silence as the last word was spoken. Every one of +those boys realized how terribly the man was suffering, for they could +see his face working. Presently he looked up, with a groan that welled +from his very heart. + +"Jest a year too late, sir!" he said, in an unsteady voice. "Oh, why +didn't ye come last June? My little Jim was alive then, and the apple +of my eye. If he'd jined the scouts he might a be'n with us right now. +A year too late--it's hard, hard!" + +"But you said you have three boys still, Mr. Brush?" said the scout +master. + +"So I have, and mighty dear they be to me too!" exclaimed the farmer, +as he proceeded to bring down his ponderous fist on his knee, "and +arter what you've told me this night, sir, they cain't be scouts any +too soon to please me. I've had my lesson, and it was a bitter one. I'm +right glad ye kim along to-night, and camped in my big woods, where we +seen the light o' yer fire." + +"And we're glad too, Mr. Brush," said the scout master, while several +of the boys were heard to cough as though taken with a sudden tickling +in their throats. + +Long they sat there talking. Mr. Brush became an ardent advocate of the +scout movement, and even made an arrangement for his boys to join the +new patrol being formed, though it would mean many a trip in and out of +Lenox for him in his new cheap motor car, in order that they attend the +weekly meetings. + +After all that was an evening long to be remembered. Tom Chesney, who +kept a regular log of the outing, meaning to enter his account in a +competition for a prize that had been offered by a metropolitan daily, +found a fine chance to spread himself when jotting down the +particulars. + +The farmer could hardly tear himself away from the crackling fire. +Three times he said he must be going, yet did not stir, which quite +amused Josh Kingsley and Felix Robbins. + +"Our scout master sure must have missed his calling when he set out to +be a civil engineer and surveyor," whispered the former in the ear of +Felix. + +"That's so," replied the other, "for while he may be a pretty good +civil engineer, he'd made a crackerjack of a lawyer or a preacher. When +he talks somehow you just hang on every word he says, and it convinces +you deep down. That old farmer on a jury would do whatever Mr. +Witherspoon wanted. But it's been worth hearing; and I'm a heap glad to +be a scout, after listening to what he's been saying." + +Finally the owner of the woods shook hands all around with them, and +accompanied by his hired man and the two dogs respectfully took his +departure. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +AT THE FOOT OF BIG BEAR MOUNTAIN + + +It took them a long time to get settled on that night. Some of the +scouts were about to experience their first camp sleep. They had to be +shown just how to arrange their blankets, and what to do about the +customary pillow upon which they wished to rest their heads. + +Tom, Josh and Rob Shaefer, having been through the mill before, +explained these things. They even helped the tenderfeet fill with +hemlock browse the little cotton bag, which had possibly once held +flour, and which each scout had been advised to carry along in his +pack. + +"They'll be worth their weight in gold many times on the trip," said +Tom, when even Mr. Witherspoon stood listening with interest, for he +had not as yet learned everything, he was free to confess. + +"But do we have to carry them along with us like that?" asked Horace as +he held up the rather bulky object he had made of his cotton slip. + +"Certainly not," he was informed; "you empty it before breaking camp, +and in the evening fill it again. Plenty of hemlock or spruce handy, +whenever you choose to stretch out your hand and pluck it." + +"You must show me about all these things," Billy Button remarked. "To +tell the truth I don't know the difference between balsam, fir, spruce, +hemlock, larch and some other trees I've heard you talking about." + +"I'll begin to-morrow, and you'll find it simple enough," Tom promised +him. + +After all the night really passed without any disturbance. Tom and Rob +managed to wake up a number of times, and getting quietly out of their +snug nests, they renewed the fire, thus keeping it going all through +the night. + +Had any one been watching closely they probably would have seen a head +bob up occasionally, the owner take a cautious look around, and then +drop back again as though convinced that all was well, with no danger +of ferocious wild beasts raiding the camp. + +These were the tenderfeet of the troop. They of course could not sleep +save in snatches, and the strangeness of their surroundings caused them +to feel more or less nervous. All they heard, however, was the barking +of Farmer Brush's watch dogs or some little woods animal complaining +because these two-legged intruders had disturbed the peace of their +homeland. + +With the coming of dawn there was a stir in camp. Then one by one the +scouts crawled out from their blankets, all but two greenhorns. + +"Let them sleep a while longer," said Mr. Witherspoon. "I fancy neither +of them passed a very comfortable night." + +And at this the other boys moderated their voices as they proceeded to +get an early breakfast ready, though in no hurry to leave that pleasant +Camp Content. + +Of course both the laggards were up and ready by the time the call to +breakfast was heard in the land. It may be that the smell of the eggs +and bacon frying and the aromatic coffee's bubbling had much to do with +arousing them. + +While they were eating who should appear but the hired man of Farmer +Brush. He had a big basket on his arm, also a note for the scout +master. + + "I have to go to town early this morning or I'd fetch these few + things myself," the note ran; "I want you to accept them from me + with my compliments, and my hearty thanks for your entertainment + last night. I have hardly slept a wink thinking about what you + told me; and next meeting me and my boys will be on hand. + + "EZRA BRUSH. + + "P.S. The chickens my wife sends you, and she says they are + tender enough to fry." + +Besides the four chickens, all ready for cooking, there was a fine +print of new butter, as well as a carton of several dozen eggs fresh +from the coop. + +"Three cheers for Mr. Brush, fellows!" cried Tom, after the scout +master had read the note aloud; and they were given with a will, much +to the entertainment of Bill, who stood there and grinned broadly. + +It was about eight o'clock when the column started once more. They +meant to leave the main road they had been following up to this time, +for it did not run in the direction they wanted to go. + +There was another smaller one which they expected to follow, for that +day at least, and which skirted the base of the mountain, even +ascending it in several places, as their map showed. + +"It will be our last day on any sort of road, if we follow out the +programme as arranged," Tom Chesney explained, as they sat around at +noon munching the "snack" each scout had been commissioned to prepare +at breakfast time against his being hungry in the middle of the day, +when they would not care to start a fire in order to do any cooking. + +"You mean we expect to push right up the mountain and begin exploring +the country, don't you, Tom?" asked Josh between bites. + +"Yes, and three of the fellows intend to make maps as we go, for +practice," the leader of the Black Bear Patrol explained. + +"All I hope is," commented Billy Button, anxiously, "that we don't +manage to get lost. I've got a very important engagement a week from +Friday that I wouldn't want to miss." + +"Huh, guess I'm in the same box," chuckled Josh; "anyway I promised to +be sitting in my usual chair with my feet under our dining table on +that same day; and it'd grieve my heart if I missed connections." + +The middle of that June day proved to be very warm, and the boys +decided to lie around for several hours. When the sun had got well +started down the western sky perhaps there might be a little more life +in the air. Besides, they were in no hurry; so what was the use of +exerting themselves unduly? + +"I hope it isn't going to storm!" suggested Carl, as they sprawled +under the shady tree where they had halted for the noon rest, each +youth in as comfortable an attitude as he could assume. + +"Oh, is there any chance of a terrible storm dropping down on us, do +you think?" asked Horace Crapsey, looking troubled; for although none +of the others knew it, the crash of the thunder and the play of +lightning had struck terror to his soul ever since the time he had been +knocked down, when a tree near his house was shattered by a bolt from +the clouds. + +"Not that you can see right now," Josh informed him, a little +contemptuously; with a strong boy's feeling toward one who shows signs +of being afraid; "but when it's summer time and when, in the bargain, a +day has been as hot as this one, you never can tell." + +"That's so, Josh," George Kingsley remarked, wagging his head as though +for once he actually agreed with something that had been said; "a +simmering day often coaxes a storm along. It may hit us toward +night-time, or even come on any hour afterwards when we're sleeping +like babes in the woods." + +"But what can we do for shelter?" asked Billy Button; "we haven't got +even a rag for a tent; and once we get soaked it'll be a hard job to +dry our suits, you know." + +"Leave that to us, Billy," Tom told him, confidently. "First of all +every scout has a rubber poncho; two of these fastened together will +make what they call a dog tent, under which a couple of fellows can +tuck themselves, and keep the upper part of their bodies dry. Soldiers +always use them." + +"Yes," added Rob Shaefer; "and if it looks like rain to-night we'll +raise several brush shanties. By making use of the rubber blankets they +can be kept as dry as a bone. Scouts must learn how to meet every +possible condition that can rise up. That's a big part of the fun, once +you've begun to play the game." + +Billy seemed to be much impressed by this cheering intelligence; and +even Horace smiled again, having recovered from his little panic. + +It was almost three o'clock when the signal was given for a start. They +took it slowly, and in the next two hours had probably covered little +more than two miles. They were still loitering along the road that +skirted the foot of the Big Bear Mountain. + +"As we have some extra cooking to do to-night, boys," the scout master +told them, "we had better pull up here where we can get fine water. +That's one of the things you must always look for when camping, +remember." + +Nothing pleased the scouts better than the prospect of stopping, and +starting supper, for they were tired, and hungry in the bargain. + +"If we didn't want to eat these fowls right away," Tom remarked, "I'd +suggest that we bake them in a hot oven made in the ground. That's the +original cooker, you know. But it takes a good many hours to do it." + +"Another time, perhaps, when we're stopping several days in one camp +we'll get some more chickens, Tom," said the scout master, "and have +you show us just how it is done. I've heard of the old-time scheme, but +never tasted anything cooked in a mud oven." + +Everything looked calm and peaceful just then, but after all that was a +deception and a snare. Even while the cooks were starting in to cut up +the chickens so that the various parts might be placed in the two big +frying-pans, after a certain amount of fat salt pork had been "tried +out," and allowed to get fiercely hot, Josh, who happened to be seen +coming from the spring with a coffee-pot of water called out: + +"Well, here comes your storm cloud all right, Horace; only instead of a +ducking we stand a chance of getting a licking from another enraged +tiller of the soil!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +NOT GUILTY + + +"Whew! but he looks even madder than Mr. Brush did!" exclaimed Billy +Button, when he saw the advancing man snap his whip furiously, as +though to warn them what to expect on his arrival. + +Every scout was now on his feet and watching. + +"There's his wagon over on the road," said Carl; "he must have been +passing and have seen us here. I wonder if we've trespassed on _his_ +private property now. Mr. Witherspoon, you'd better get ready to +hypnotize another mad farmer." + +"He's got his eye on our chickens, let me tell you!" urged Josh, as he +moved over a few paces, as though meaning to defend the anticipated +treat desperately if need be. + +The man was a big brawny fellow, and very angry at that. Mr. +Witherspoon faced him without a sign of alarm, even smiling, because +conscious of having given no reasonable cause for an assault. + +"That cracking of his whip isn't going to scare us a bit," muttered the +pugnacious Josh; "he'd better not lay it on me for one, or any of my +chums, that's what!" + +The man could hardly speak at first, from the effect of his anger, +together with his hasty rush from the road up to the camp. Then holding +his threatening whip in one hand he pointed a quivering finger straight +toward the fowls that they were expecting to have for their supper, and +which could no longer be concealed by Josh. + +"So," bellowed the man, "now I know where the chickens that were stolen +from my coop last night went. Raidin' the farms up this way, are you? I +want to tell you it's going to be a bad job for every one of ye. I'll +have the law on ye if I have to go to Lenox and look every boy in town +over. And I'll know ye all again, if its a month from now." + +He snapped the whip viciously as he stopped talking; but Mr. +Witherspoon did not seem to shrink back an inch. Looking the excited +farmer squarely in the eye the scout master started to speak. + +"I judge from what you say, sir, that you have had the misfortune to +lose some of your poultry lately? I'm sorry to hear of it, but when you +come and accuse us of being the guilty parties you are making a serious +mistake, sir." + +"Oh, am I?" demanded the other, still as furious as ever, though the +boys noticed that he made no effort to use the dreadful whip he +carried. "I lost some fowls, and you're expecting to have some chickens +for dinner. Anybody with hoss sense could put them facts together, +couldn't they? I ain't to be blarnied so easy, let me tell you." + +"You seem to talk as though no one owned chickens up this Bear Mountain +way but yourself, sir," said Mr. Witherspoon, calmly. "These lads are +Boy Scouts. They are a part of the Lenox Troop, and I can vouch for +every one of them as being honest, and incapable of stealing any man's +fowls." + +"You don't say, mister?" sneered the man; "but tell me, who's a-goin' +to vouch for you, now?" + +"My name is Robert Witherspoon," replied the scout master, showing +wonderful self-control the boys thought, considering the insulting +manner of the angry farmer. "I am a civil engineer and surveyor. I love +boys every way I find them; and it is a pleasure to me to act as their +scout master, accompanying them on their hikes when possible, and +seeing that they behave themselves in every way. You can find out about +my standing from Judge Jerome, Doctor Lawson or Pastor Hotchkiss in +Lenox." + +The man still looked in Mr. Witherspoon's calm eyes. What he saw there +seemed to have an influence upon his aroused feelings, for while he +still shook his head skeptically there was not so much of menace in his +manner now. + +"Boys will be boys, no matter whether they have scout uniforms on or +overalls," he said sullenly. "I've suffered mor'n once from raids on my +orchards and chicken coops, and found it was some town boys, off on +what they called a lark, that made other people suffer." + +"But I assure you there is not the slightest possibility of any boy +here having taken your chickens, sir," continued the scout master. + +"We've been on the move all day long," added Tom, "and only arrived +here half an hour back. Last night we were several miles away in camp." + +"But--you got chickens, and I was robbed last night," faltered the +farmer, as though that fact impressed him as evidence that no argument +could keep down. + +"If we could prove to you," continued Mr. Witherspoon, "that we came by +these four fowls honestly, I hope you will be frank enough to apologize +to my boys for unjustly suspecting them of being hen thieves?" + +"Go on then and do it, mister; but I warn you I'm sot in my ways, and +hard to convince. It's got to be a mighty likely yarn that'll fotch me +over." + +"You've lived around here some time, I take it?" asked Mr. Witherspoon. + +"Man and boy forty-seven years," came the reply. + +"Then you must know Ezra Brush, for he was born in the farm house he +occupies to this day?" suggested the scout master. + +"I know Ezra like a book. Him and me have always been good friends, +except for that boundary dispute which took us to court; but I reckon +Ezra don't hold no grudge agin me 'cause I won out. + +"We had Mr. Brush sitting beside our campfire for two hours last night, +while I told him all about the things Boy Scouts are taught. He means +to have his three boys join the troop at the next meeting; for he knows +now that if his little Jim and some of his companions had been scouts, +the boy's life in all probability would have been saved last summer." + +"It might have been," admitted the farmer, "if them other lads had +knowed what to do, but before a man got there it was too late. And Ezra +certainly sot some store by that bright-faced little Jim; everybody +keered for him, he was so winnin' in his ways." + +"Well," continued Mr. Witherspoon with a smile, for he was certain of +his ground by this time, and the whip hung listlessly alongside the +farmer's leg; "we made so good an impression on Mr. Brush that early +this morning his man Bill came over with a basket, and also this note. +Please read it, sir." + +He placed the paper in the other's hand; and leaning down so that the +waning light of the setting sun might fall on the writing the farmer +seemed to take in the contents of the note. + +When he looked up he no longer scowled, but let his eyes rove around at +the faces of the scouts, all filled with eager anticipation. + +"Well, I was wrong to say what I did, I owns up," he commenced, making +a wry face, as though it was rather an unusual thing for him to admit +being anything but right; "and since I promised to apologize to ye, +boys I'm ready to do it. Chickens all looks alike after they've been +plucked and the heads cut off; but 'cordin' to what that note reads +these here are Brush fowls and not from the Perkins coop." + +Mr. Witherspoon nodded his head, and his eyes twinkled. + +"Are you satisfied to accept Mr. Perkins' apology, boys, in the same +spirit in which it is given?" he asked, looking at his charges. + +Of course there was an immediate response, and in the affirmative too. +Boys are not apt to harbor any deep resentment, once the accusation is +withdrawn. + +"There, you see these boys are not the ones to hold it against you, Mr. +Perkins," the scout master continued. + +"Did you see the thieves who were in your hen house last night, Mr. +Perkins?" asked Tom, as though he had some object in making the +inquiry. + +"Wall, no, though I heard the racket when my chickens got to squawkin', +and run to the coop with a gun; but the pesky rascals had cleared out +with half a dozen of my best young fowls. I reckoned to larn where they +was, and I'm on my way to town right now with a load of stuff, meanin' +to make a few inquiries in the mornin'." + +He grinned as he fumbled at the pocket of his coat. + +"What have you got there, Mr. Perkins?" asked Tom. + +"It's a boy's cap as was left in my coop last night," declared the +farmer; "and a queer lookin' one at that. Guess they might tell me who +it fits in Lenox." + +Every eye was focused on the cap which he held up. It was indeed of an +odd color, and very likely the only one of the kind in that section. + +Josh Kingsley laughed out loud. + +"Guess we ought to know that cap, fellows!" he exclaimed. "The last +time I saw the same it was perked on the red head of Tony Pollock." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +WHAT TO DO IN A STORM + + +"Would you mind letting me see that cap for a minute, Mr. Perkins?" +asked the leader of the Black Bear Patrol. + +The farmer seemed to hesitate as though loth to let his only evidence +go out of his hand; but after one good look at the smiling countenance +of Tom Chesney apparently he felt ashamed of suspecting that so +clean-looking a boy could mean to deceive him in any way. So he passed +the head-gear over. + +Knowing that Tom must have some object in making this request the other +scouts pushed closer and watched eagerly. They saw him turn the cap +partly inside out. + +"I thought as much," Tom remarked laughingly, at the same time +carefully picking several tiny objects up, which he held before the +eyes of the admiring farmer, who had doubtless never before heard of +such a thing as "scoutcraft." + +"Look for yourself, Mr. Perkins," Tom said exultantly; "you will have +no difficulty in recognizing these as fiery red hairs. The boy +mentioned by my chum here, has a brick-top like that. I should say the +evidence is about as conclusive as anything could be." + +Mr. Perkins' mouth had opened wide. He was apparently thunder-struck by +the cleverness displayed by this stripling in clinching the guilt of +the party who had stolen his spring chickens. + +"Tell me his name again, Bub," he said turning to Josh; "I calc'late +makin' it some warm for him unless I gets pretty good pay for them +fowls." + +"His name is Tony Pollock," he was told with a grin, for somehow Josh +seemed to be tickled over the retribution that was likely to overtake +the boy who had for so long a time acted as a bully in Lenox. + +After some talk the farmer withdrew, taking with him his evidence in +the shape of the queer checked cap, and also the best wishes of the +assembled scouts, who gave him a cheer as he drove away. + +He had even promised to drop around at a couple of their houses with +messages hastily scribbled, to the effect that the boys were very well, +and having the time of their lives. + +Needless to say that those who sent these were the tender feet of the +troop. Horace and Billy, who imagined that their respective mothers +must be lying awake nights in mortal fear lest something dreadful had +happened to the heretofore pampered darlings. Most of the other boys +were accustomed to being away from home, and prided themselves on being +able to show the spirit of veteran campers. + +The fowls turned out to be the peer of any the boys had ever tasted. +Indeed with the chicken cooked a delicate brown by those in charge, and +seasoned with the keen appetites a day in the open air is apt to give a +boy, that supper must always linger in their memories as a bright spot +never to be excelled. + +By now the greenhorns would be getting more accustomed to seeing the +woods all around them, and probably sleep better than they did before. +The second night in camp always does find everybody feeling more at +ease, and settling down for a good rest. + +They had no reason to find fault with anything that happened to them +after the departure of Mr. Perkins. The stars came out in the heavens +and there was apparently no sign of rain. + +To satisfy the more timid boys, Tom and Rob Shaefer had started on a +brush shanty, which they so far completed that it could be changed into +a fair shelter by making use of their rubber ponchos. It was not really +needed, though several of the boys chose to make up their beds under +its arched roof, mentioning that they might feel the dew if it +happened to prove heavy. + +Again they prepared breakfast, and then started off with a day's tramp +ahead of them that would differ in many respects from anything as yet +encountered. This was because they expected to strike boldly up the +side of the massive mountain that reared its head far above them, its +slopes covered for the most part with a heavy growth of timber. This, +however, thinned out the nearer one came to the summit, which in turn +was composed of bald rocks, grim and silent, save when some eagle gave +its shrill scream from a projecting crag. + +They took their last look at the little road, and then Tom led the way +into the heart of the wild growth. Just as they had anticipated it was +a great deal more difficult going now, for there was no trail save an +occasional cowpath which might lead down to the creek, or anywhere +else; and to which, for this reason, they could not pay any attention. + +When noon came there was a loud call for a halt. While every boy was +too proud to confess that his muscles were beginning to feel sore from +the continual strain, he tried pretty hard to find some plausible +excuse for wanting to make a good long halt. + +While they were eating and fanning themselves, for it was very warm, +Walter Douglass noticed Tom glancing off toward the southwest. Upon +looking in that direction himself he burst out with an exclamation: + +"It's going to strike us this time, boys, as sure as anything!" + +"What another irate farmer?" cried Josh, laughingly. "Whatever have the +scouts been doing this time to raise trouble? We've been accused of +trespassing, and stealing chickens; p'raps they'll try to make out we +have evil designs on some country bank." + +"It looks like a storm," admitted Tom; upon which Billy Button began to +stare at the clouds in plain sight, and Horace seemed to be listening +anxiously to catch the first distant mutter of thunder in the air. + +"If you are all through eating," said Mr. Witherspoon, "perhaps we had +better move out of this. I'm not the best judge of such things, but I +think we could find a better spot than this to stay during the storm." + +"There! listen to that, will you?" exclaimed George as they heard a +heavy boom that seemed to throb on the heavily charged air like the +roar of a monster siege gun. + +Horace was looking a little pale, though he set his teeth hard +together, and apparently had made up his mind to at least refrain from +showing the white feather, no matter how frightened he felt. + +They did up their packs, keeping the rubber ponchos out, according to +the advice of the patrol leader. + +"At the worst we can put our heads through the slit in the center," he +explained to them; "and then it serves as a waterproof to keep the +upper part of you dry. But perhaps we can find an overhanging shelf of +rock under which all of us can crawl." + +"But how about that fine big tree yonder, couldn't we take shelter +under that?" asked Horace, pointing to a massive oak with +wide-spreading branches that made a canopy through which even a +downpour of rain could hardly penetrate. + +"Never!" Tom told him hastily. "A tree standing apart like that is +always one of the most dangerous places you can select when seeking +shelter from an electrical storm. Far better stay out and take your +little soaking than to take chances in a barn, or under an isolated +tree. In the forest it is not so bad, where there are hundreds of +trees; but then you ought to be careful which one you select. Lightning +loves a shining mark, you know." + +"But that big tree has stood for one or two hundred years and never +been hit by lightning," objected Horace, who could not understand +exactly. + +"So have others that I've seen shattered to fragments," Mr. Witherspoon +told him, "but their time came at last, and without warning. We can't +afford to accept the risk. There is only one safe way, and that is to +avoid dangerous places." + +The thunder grew louder with every peal. There were vivid flashes of +lightning, too, each of which caused Horace to start and close his +eyes, though he bravely suppressed the groan that seemed ready to burst +from his lips. + +Tom, as well as Mr. Witherspoon, Josh and Rob Shaefer, was constantly +on the lookout for some sign of shelter. The ground seemed to favor the +possibility of finding something in the line of overlapping lines of +rock, which, forming a mushroom ledge, would screen them from the +violence of the expected downpour. + +After all, the honor of making the discovery went to Carl. + +"Look over yonder between those bushes, sir; doesn't that seem to be +about the kind of place you're after?" he called out, clutching the +scout master by the arm. + +So impressed was Mr. Witherspoon by what he saw that he immediately +directed all of his charges to make for the spot pell-mell. The first +big drops were coming down as they arrived, to find that, sure enough, +the ledges of stone cropped out as much as six or seven feet. + +"Crawl under wherever you can find a good place, and lie quiet!" +ordered the scout master; and in several detachments they proceeded to +get out of the rain, now commencing to fall heavily. + +The wind rushed through the branches with a furious shriek; the thunder +crashed; they heard several trees fall under the strain; and then +without warning came a blinding flash, with a terrific ear-splitting +roar of thunder accompanying it. + +Horace, who with a number of others was in the cavity Tom had chosen, +shrank close to the leader of the Black Bear Patrol. + +"Oh, Tom!" he cried, when his voice could be heard, "didn't that sound +right from where that magnificent big oak tree stood that I wanted to +get under?" + +"Just what it did!" Josh Kingsley told him, vehemently, while Tom said: + +"We'll investigate after the storm is over, Horace; but right now I'm +of the opinion your fine oak is lying shattered into fragments by the +bolt that fell!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE LANDSLIDE + + +"Whether that's so or not," said the trembling Horace, "I feel that +I've learned a lesson. I own up that I'm terribly afraid of lightning; +but after this I'm going to face it, even if I have to lie out in the +storm, rather than take chances." + +It became difficult to carry on any sort of conversation, what with all +the racket around them. The wind blew, the rain fell in sheets, and the +thunder boomed so continuously that one deep-toned roll hardly died +away before there would come another crash that made everybody start. + +Still they were a thankful lot of boys as they lay under the ledges and +counted the minutes creep past. + +"We've managed to keep our jackets tolerably dry after all," announced +Josh, at a time when there happened to be a little slackening of the +gale; "and that's what everybody couldn't have done under the same +conditions." + +"Well, I should say not," another scout declared; "I know lots of +fellows who think themselves extra smart around town, and yet put them +up here and they'd either have been knocked out hiding under a tree +that was struck, or else soaked through to the skin." + +"It takes scouts to figure things out when the supreme test comes," +said Josh. + +"Yes, _some_ scouts," added Felix, drily; as much as to tell Josh not +to plume himself too highly, because this was not his bright thought. + +A more terrific peal of thunder than any they had yet heard except that +one outburst, stopped their talking for a brief time. + +"I really believe the old storm is coming back to try it all over +again!" cried Billy Button, in dismay. + +"They often seem to do that," remarked another boy. "That has puzzled +me more'n I can tell. What's the explanation, Mr. Witherspoon?" + +"Well, as near as I can say," replied the scout master, "it's something +like this. Most storms have a regular rotary movement as well as their +forward drift. On that account a hurricane at sea has a core or center, +where there is almost a dead clam." + +"Yes, I've read about that," interrupted Josh. "Sea captains always +mention it when they've found themselves in the worst of a big blow. +It slackens up, and then comes on again worse than ever." + +"But always from exactly the opposite quarter," the scout master +continued. + +"You can see how this is, for the wind coming from the east up to the +time the core of the gale strikes them, is from the west after the +center has passed by. We may be about to get the other side of this +little storm now." + +"Listen to it roaring, up on the mountain?" cried Horace. + +"I wonder what those other fellows are doing about now?" Josh was heard +to say, in a speculative way. + +"Of course you mean Tony Pollock and his crowd," observed Tom. "Unless +they've been as lucky as we were they're feeling pretty damp ground +this time. Still Tony is a shrewd fellow, and may have discovered some +sort of shelter before the downpour came." + +"I hope so," Horace went on to say, for he was not at all cruel by +disposition; "because I wouldn't want a dog to be out in this blow, +much less boys I've known all my life, even if they have been an ugly +lot." + +There was a short interval of violent downpour. Then all at once the +storm again slackened, and soon the rain ceased. + +Horace had been whispering to Tom, and the pair of them now started to +crawl out from under the shelter. + +"Where are you going, Tom?" asked Josh, wondering what the strange move +meant. + +"Just mean to take a little walk over here," was the reply; "we'll be +back in a few minutes. Horace is curious to see if it was the big oak +that was struck." + +"I'll go along, if you don't object," said the always ready Josh. + +"Me too," called out a second scout. + +Accordingly several of them followed Tom and Horace out from under the +ledges. There were at least six in the group that hurried along toward +the spot where the splendid oak had been noticed an hour before. + +They were compelled to pick their way along, for little streams of +water flowed in almost every direction; besides, the trees were +shedding miniature Niagaras that would be very unpleasant if received +in the back of the neck by any one passing underneath. + +In this fashion they neared the place. Every boy was keenly on the +lookout. + +"Why, I don't see anything at all of the tree, and yet it certainly +stood high above those smaller ones over there!" exclaimed Horace, +presently, with a curious little quiver of awe in his voice. + +Ten seconds later they had advanced far enough to pass the barrier +formed by those lesser forest trees. Then the entire group of scouts +came to a sudden stop and simply stared. Horace even rubbed his eyes as +if he half believed he might be dreaming. + +The big oak was gone! + +Where it had stood they saw a shattered trunk not more than twenty feet +high. Upon the ground in every direction lay torn and twisted limbs and +smaller branches, just as they had been violently hurled when that +terrible electric bolt struck with such amazing force. + +"Whew!" gasped Josh, "there's an object lesson for you, Horace!" + +"It's the same for each one of us," added Tom, gravely; "and for every +scout who ever hears of it." + +"Supposing we had taken refuge under that fine old oak," suggested +Felix, with a shrug of his shoulders; "not one of us would have ever +known what hit him." + +"I've seen all I want to, Tom; let us go back," said Horace, who looked +rather white by now. "Besides, I think it's going to pour down again +shortly." + +"That's right," added another scout; "you can hear it coming over +there. Everybody scoot for the home base." + +They lost no time in retracing their steps, and just managed to reach +the friendly shelter of the ledges when the rain did come down, if +anything harder than ever. + +"There'll be a big boom in the river after this!" remarked Felix, when +the rain had been falling in a deluge for ten minutes. + +"I think it must be next door to what they call a cloud burst; wouldn't +you say so, Mr. Witherspoon?" asked another boy. + +"It seems like it," he was told by the scout master. "Meantime we ought +to be very thankful we're so well provided for. No danger of being +floated away this far up on the mountain. But the rain is going to stop +presently." + +"Getting softer already!" announced the watchful Josh. + +"I didn't have any chance to ask you about the big oak?" Mr. +Witherspoon continued. + +"There isn't any," remarked Felix; "only a wreck that would make you +hold your breath and rub your eyes." + +"Then it was struck by that terrible bolt, was it?" asked the scout +master. + +"Smashed, into flinders," replied Josh. "You never in all your life saw +such a wreck, sir." + +"We'll all take a glance at it before we leave this place," the leader +of the hiking troop told them. "But from the way things look there's a +good chance we may think it best to put in the night right here, where +we can be sure of a dry place for sleeping." + +"That strikes me as a good idea, sir," said Tom, promptly, for he had +been considering proposing that very plan himself, though of course he +did not see fit to say so now. + +"All I hope is that the river doesn't sweep away a part of Lenox," one +of the boys was heard to say. "You remember that years ago, before any +of us can remember, they had a bad flood, and some lives were lost." + +"Oh yes, but that was in the spring," explained Josh, "when the heavy +snows melted, and what with ten days of rain the ground couldn't take +up any more water. It's a whole lot different in June. Besides, we've +been having it pretty hot and dry lately, remember, and the earth can +drink up a lot of water." + +"Still, you never can tell what a flood will do," George was heard to +say; but as they all understood his way of looking at the worst side of +things none of the other boys took much stock in his gloomy +predictions. + +"We must hustle to find some dry wood, so as to cook our supper, and +keep warm afterwards," Felix told them. + +"Leave us alone to do that," Josh announced. "No matter how hard it has +been raining you can always get plenty of dry stuff out of the heart +of a stump or a log. And thank goodness we brought an ax along with +us." + +"Say, did you feel anything then?" called out one of the other boys. +"Seemed to me the rocks might be trembling as they did when it +thundered extra loud. There it goes again! Get that, fellows?" + +They certainly did, and a thrill of wonder and sudden anxiety passed +over them when the trembling sensation became even more pronounced. +Then they realized that a strange rumbling sound had arisen. It came +from further up the mountain, and yet drew rapidly closer, increasing +in intensity, until it began to assume the proportions of a terrible +roaring, while the rocks vibrated in a sickening way. + +"Oh! it must be an earthquake!" shrilled one scout, in alarm. + +"Lie still, everybody!" shouted Mr. Witherspoon; "don't think of +crawling out. It's a landslide coming down the side of the mountain!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +CAMPING ON THE LAKE SHORE + + +For several minutes the scouts lay there and fairly held their breath +in the grip of that sudden fear that had come upon them. As the +rumbling noise and the sickening sensation of the rock trembling under +them passed away they regained in some degree their former confidence. + +"The worst is over, I think," said Mr. Witherspoon; "but we'll stay +where we are a while longer." + +Content to abide by his judgment, and glad that they had escaped being +caught in that avalanche of earth and rocks, the boys kept quiet until +finally, as there was no repetition of the landslide, they were allowed +to issue forth. + +Investigation showed them where the slip had occurred. Some fault in +the formation of the mountain side had allowed it to happen, the +conditions being just right. + +Later on the rest of the scouts went over to view the wrecked oak, +bringing back some of the splinters of wood to use in making the fire +they expected to have going presently. + +Considering the two narrow escapes they had passed through recently, +one from lightning and the other from the avalanche, the boys all felt +that they had reason to be thankful. + +"You'll have some remarkable things to set down in that log book of +yours for this particular day, Tom," said the scout master; "and I +think you can do the subject justice. I hope to read an account of this +trip in print one of these days." + +"Oh! there's a small chance of my account taking the first prize, I'm +afraid Mr. Witherspoon," laughed the leader of the Black Bear Patrol; +"I imagine there'll be scores of competitors in the race, and plenty of +them can write things just as well as I can, perhaps even better." + +"Yes," remarked Josh, "but don't forget that every account of an outing +trip has to be absolutely true. No wonderful imaginary stories will be +allowed in the competition, the rules said." + +"Yes, that's just what they did state," added Felix; "you've got to +have things authenticated--wasn't that the word the paper used?" + +"Attested to in due form by the scout master who accompanied the +troop," Mr. Witherspoon explained, smiling; "and in this case I can do +that with an easy conscience." + +"And if things keep going as they have been lately," declared another +boy, "there never was and never can be a trip so crowded with +interesting happenings as this same hike of Lenox Troop over Big Bear +Mountain." + +The fire was made without any particular trouble, just as Josh and some +of the others had predicted. The boys knew how to get dry fuel out of +the heart of a stump, and once the fire was roaring it hardly mattered +what kind of wood was used, since the heat quickly dried it out. + +Then supper was cooked as usual, only on this occasion they dispensed +with some of the conditions that were not absolutely necessary, such as +having two separate fires. + +On the whole they managed to get on, and every one admitted he could +dispose of no more when finally the meal was concluded. + +Later on the boys sat around, and while most of them compared notes +regarding their experiences during the exciting day just closed, others +proceeded to attend to certain duties they did not wish to postpone any +longer. + +As for Tom Chesney, it was an aim with him to write out his account of +daily events while they were still fresh in his mind. He was afraid +many of the little details might be forgotten if he delayed; and in the +end those were what would give most of the charm to the narrative of +the scout doings. + +The storm had passed on, and above them they saw the stars peeping out +once more. Long into the night the steady drip of water could be heard, +telling of numerous little rivulets that still ran down the side of Big +Bear Mountain, though by morning most of these would have dried up. + +They slept under the friendly ledges. It was, after all was said, a +pretty "rocky" bed, as Josh termed it; but since the ground outside was +so well soaked, and there was always more or less peril in the shape of +another landslide, none of the boys complained, or expressed his +feelings in more than sundry grunts. + +With the coming of morning the strange camp was astir, and one by one +the boys painfully crawled out, to try to get some of the stiffness +from their limbs by jumping around and "skylarking." + +About nine o'clock the hike was resumed Mr. Witherspoon did not think +it advisable to go on up the mountain any further after that avalanche; +he believed they would have just as good a time passing around the +base, and in the end making a complete circuit of the high elevation. + +The day turned out to be a delightful one after the storm. It seemed as +though the air had been purified, and even in the middle of the day it +was not unpleasantly warm. + +"We ought to make that little lake by the afternoon, oughtn't we, Tom?" +the scout master asked, as he plodded along at the side of the patrol +leader. + +Another consultation of the map Tom carried followed, and it was +decided that they must be within a half a mile of the water. Ten +minutes later Josh declared he had caught a glimpse of the sun shining +on dancing wavelets; and shortly afterwards a sudden turn brought them +in full view of the pond. + +It was hardly more than that, covering perhaps ten acres; but the boys +declared they had never set eyes on a prettier sight as they arrived on +the near shore, and proceeded to make a camp there. + +"If we only had a canoe up here what a great time we'd have fishing," +said Josh, who was particularly fond of casting a fly for a trout or +bass, and scorned to use the humble angleworm, as ordinary fishermen +do. + +"What's the matter with taking a log and straddling the same?" asked +Tom. "Three of us could manage it, one to troll with a spoon, another +to cast near the shore and the third to paddle the log." + +"Let's try that in the morning," suggested Josh, eagerly; "it's too +late in the day to have any great luck now. But I like the looks of +that pond--and I think we might get a good string of fish from it, if +the wind's right." + +That night their fire glowed upon the border of the water. It was a +new experience, and the boys, seeing Tom busily engaged in writing, +told him to do full justice to the theme, for it deserved to be +recorded exactly in the way they saw it. + +It was a comfortable night they spent by the pond, in sharp contrast to +the preceding one when flattened out under the rocky ledges. Every one +got a good sound night's sleep, so that when morning came they were in +prime condition for the work of the day. + +"We'll stay here to-day and not go on for another twenty-four hours," +decided the scout master, as they sat around eating breakfast. + +"For one I'm glad to hear that," said Felix; "I can hike as well as the +next fellow; but just the same when I'm off for pleasure I don't like +to keep moving all the time. This suits me first-rate. Then I expect to +do some paddling when we find the right sort of a log, with Josh at the +bow casting his flies, and Tom at the stern trolling his phantom minnow +along." + +The log needed was easily found, and was rolled down, to be launched in +the pond. A rude paddle was also cut, with the aid of the ax and a +sharp knife. Felix declared he could make it answer the purpose; so +presently the enterprising scouts composing the fishing party went +forth, followed by the best wishes of their mates. + +"Fix it so we have a fish dinner to-night, fellows!" Billy Button +called out. + +"If you're wise you'll not make up your mouth that way; then there's no +danger of being disappointed," said George. "I never expect anything, +and so I meet with pleasant surprises once in a while." + +Perhaps since the days of old Robinson Crusoe a more remarkable fishing +party never started out than that one. The three boys had taken off +shoes and socks, and rolled up their trousers above their knees. +Straddling the log, Felix used his paddle, and, sure enough, the clumsy +craft moved along fast enough to answer their desires. + +Tom let out his line and trolled, while Josh began to cast with great +animation, sending his trailing flies close to the shore, and drawing +them toward him in fine style. + +Presently he struck and managed to land a fair-sized bass. Then Tom +caught a larger one on his imitation minnow. The fun began to wax +furious, so that once both the anglers chanced to be busily engaged +with fish they had hooked at the same time. + +It was while this was going on, and their string had already reached +respectable proportions, that the boys on the log heard a sound far +away, up on the side of the mountain, which caused Josh to exclaim: + +"That's a pack of dogs yapping, and they're hot on the track of some +sort of game, too! It may be only a poor little cottontail, but we'll +soon know, for they're heading straight in our direction. Whew! listen +to the yelps they give!" + +"There's something in the lake over yonder, and coming this way, too!" +exclaimed Felix "Can it be a muskrat, Tom, do you think, swimming on +top of the water?" + +"Not much it isn't!" cried Josh from the bow of the novel craft; "it's +a deer I tell you, a stag with half-grown antlers, taking to the water +to escape from the hounds." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +FRIENDS OF THE DEER + + +"Yes, its a buck," announced Tom, as a shout from the camp told that +one of the other scouts had also discovered the swimming animal. + +"Whew! there come the dogs along the shore!" cried Felix, pointing as +he spoke to where a number of swiftly-moving objects could be seen. + +"They've taken to the water after the deer!" exclaimed Josh. + +"It'll be a shame if they manage to catch up with the poor thing in the +pond!" Felix declared; "we ought to break that game up somehow. Isn't +there a way?" + +"If we had a canoe instead of a log we might get between, and keep the +dogs back," he was told by the patrol leader; "but I'm afraid we'll +never be able to make it at this rate." + +Felix had started paddling furiously even while the other was speaking. +The novel craft began to move through the water much faster than at any +previous time. It was really surprising how much speed it could show, +when driven by that stout, if homely, paddle, held in the hands of a +muscular and excited scout. + +Tom gave directions as though he were the pilot, and while the swimming +buck certainly saw them approaching he must have considered that these +human enemies were not to be feared one-half as much as those merciless +hounds following after him, for he swerved very little. + +"We're going to cut in between the deer and the dogs after all, boys!" +cried the delighted Josh, who was bending his body with every movement +of the paddler, as though he hoped to be able in that fashion to assist +the drive. + +"It's a pity we didn't think to bring another paddle along!" was Tom's +comment, "for that would have added considerably to our progress." + +As it was, however, they managed to intervene between the hounds and +the frightened buck. Josh waved both arms, and shouted threateningly at +the eager dogs. They possibly did not know what to make of it, for as a +rule their masters probably tempted them to chase a deer even with the +law against hounding in force. + +"Keep back there, you greedy curs!" yelled Josh; and as Tom and Felix +joined in the shouting, the last mentioned also waving his flashing +paddle, the swimming dogs came to a pause. + +Whenever they made a start as though intending to sweep past the log on +which the three scouts were perched, Felix, waiting for some such move, +paddled vigorously to head them off. This series of obstructive +tactics, coupled with the demonstration made by the other boys, served +to keep the hounds in check for a certain length of time. + +"There, he's made the shore across on the other side of the pond!" +announced Tom. + +Looking that way the boys saw the harried buck hasten out of the +shallow water. He turned once on the very edge to give a single glance +back toward the baffled dogs, still swimming aimlessly about, and +yapping in defeat, then leaped lightly into the undergrowth and +vanished from sight. + +"Good-bye!" shouted Josh, waving his hand after the rescued deer, "and +good luck!" + +The dogs by this time had managed to flank the obstruction. + +"No use chasing after them any more, Felix," said Tom; "I think the +deer has a good lead on them now, and will easily make his escape." + +They watched the pack swim to the shore, and noted that they came out +at some little distance from the spot where the buck had left the +water. + +"That's going to delay them still more," announced Tom; "they've lost +the scent, and will have to chase up and down hunting for it." + +Sure enough the hounds ran first one way with their noses to the +ground, then doubled back. It was several minutes before a triumphant +yelp announced that they had finally struck the lost trail. + +"There they go with a rush!" said Josh, as the pack was seen to start +off, following the course taken by the deer. + +Their eager yelps became less distinct as they skirted around the foot +of Big Bear Mountain. + +"Well, that was a queer happening, wasn't it?" said Tom, as they +prepared to resume their fishing, which had been so singularly +interrupted. + +"It'll make an interesting event for your note book, Tom," declared +Felix. + +"A deer is seldom seen around this region," Josh ventured to say; +"which makes our luck all the more remarkable. I wouldn't have missed +that sight for a good deal!" + +"I saw Stanley Ackerman using his camera, so let's hope he got a bunch +of snapshots that'll show the whole circus," Felix announced. + +"How about allowing dogs to roam the woods up here, Tom; isn't it +against the law in this State nowadays?" Josh asked. + +"It certainly is," he was informed. "For a good many years chasing deer +with hounds, and using a jack-light at nights to get them, has been +strictly forbidden. Time was when packs of hounds used to be met with +in plenty. Men would start out and hunt deer that way. Then the papers +took it up, and showed the cruelty of the so-called sport, and it was +abolished." + +"According to the law anybody is allowed to shoot dogs caught in the +act of running deer, especially in the summer time; isn't that right, +Tom?" + +"Yes, that's what we would have had a perfect right to do if we'd had a +gun along. But I don't believe that pack belonged to any one man. They +are dogs that have gone wild, and having gathered together in the +woods, live by hunting." + +"I've heard that dogs do go back to the old wolf strain sometimes," +Josh admitted; "and now that you mention it, Tom, there was a wild look +about every one of the beasts. I even thought they had half a notion to +attack us at one time; but the way Felix kept that paddle flashing +through the air cowed them, I guess." + +The fishing was resumed, though all this racket seemed to have caused +the bass to cease taking hold for some time. By skirting the more +distant shores, close to where the water grass and reeds grew, they +finally struck a good ground, and were amply rewarded for the efforts +put forth. + +"I think the bass must have their beds on this shoal here," said Tom, +when they paddled back over the place at which success had come to +them. "It's early in the season as yet, and a lot of them are still +around here. They haven't gone out into deep water with their +newly-hatched young ones." + +"Is that what they do?" asked Felix, who was not as much of a fisherman +as either of his chums. + +"Well, not immediately after the eggs hatch," Tom told him. "The mother +bass is going to keep her swarm of little ones in shallow water, and +guard them until they get to a certain size. Then she darts in among +them, scatters the whole lot, after which she is done with them. They +have reached an age when they must take their chances." + +When finally about noon the three came ashore, rather stiff from having +straddled that log for such a length of time, they had a pretty fine +string of fish, two of them in fact. + +The talk as they ate their mid-day meal was along the subject of deer +hunting, and Tom as well as Josh had to tell all about it, as far as +they knew. + +Stanley declared he had made good use of his camera, and hoped the +results would come up to expectations. All of them united in saying +that it had been an adventure worth while; and apparently their +sympathies were wholly with the gallant buck, for they expressed a +fervent hope that he would succeed in outrunning his canine enemies. + +Somehow in the course of the conversation mention was made of Tony +Pollock and his crowd. + +"I heard Tony tell a story of having seen a deer pulled down somewhere +in the forest last fall by a pack of ugly dogs," related George Cooper. +"At the time I believed he was only yarning, though he vowed black and +blue it was so. He said the dogs looked and acted so ugly that he +thought it best to clear out before they turned on him." + +"Like as not this same pack," remarked Tom. "They say that once a dog +has taken to that savage sort of life nothing can ever coax him to go +back to living with mankind again. It's in the blood, that call of the +wild." + +"Well," chuckled Josh, "we know of another kind of call of the wild +that's going to be heard in the land pretty soon, when Farmer Sile +Perkins faces Tony. He will demand double pay for the chickens Tony and +his crowd stole, on penalty of his being arrested if he doesn't whack +up. Oh I can just see Tony begin to crawl then; and I wonder how he'll +get the money." + +Carl was saying little or nothing, and Tom knew why. Here they had been +on the hike several days, and as yet there had arisen not a single +chance for him to get in touch with Dock Phillips. + +Tom understood that another spell of dark foreboding was beginning to +enfold his chum. At the first opportunity he could find, Tom joined +Carl. The latter had thrown himself down on the bank some distance away +from the camp, where he could be in the shade, and yet look out on the +sunlit water, which just then had a most attractive aspect. + +"You're worrying again because nothing has happened as we hoped would +be the case, eh, Carl?" was what the patrol leader said as he dropped +down close to the moody scout. + +Carl sighed heavily. + +"Perhaps it's foolish of me, Tom," he said, with a curious little break +in his voice, which he tried hard to master; "but once in so often it +seems as if something gripped me, and made me shiver. It's when I get +to thinking what little real progress I am making that this chilly +spell comes along." + +"Yes, I can understand that," the other told him. "I did hope we might +run on Dock while we were up here, and either force or coax him to tell +what he did with the stolen paper. He's away from the influence of Mr. +Culpepper, you know, and if we had to come down to offering him a price +to get the paper he might accept." + +"Oh! much as I hate to have to compromise such a thing," said Carl, +desperately; "I believe I'd do it. Anything to get that paper, for the +more I think of it the stronger I believe it means everything to my +mother." + +"Well, we haven't quite got to the end of our tether yet," the patrol +leader assured him. "I can't explain it, but somehow there's a feeling +inside of me that tells me to keep on hoping. In some sort of fashion +luck is going to turn your way. Just keep up your grit, and hang on. +Take a lesson from the persistence of those dogs in following the +deer." + +"Yes, I suppose I ought to. I've read how wolves will keep chasing +after a deer day and night, steady as dock-work, until in the end they +tire it out and get their dinner." + +Just then they heard a shout, or what was closer to a shriek. It came +from beyond the camp, and was immediately followed by cries of alarm +from the other scouts. + +"What's happened?" asked Tom, as with Carl he hurried to the spot to +see a group approaching bearing some burden in their midst. + +"Walt Douglass fell out of a tree," replied Billy Button, looking very +pale; "and Mr. Witherspoon says he's afraid it means a fractured leg, +if nothing worse!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +FIRST AID TO THE INJURED + + +Dismay seized upon most of the scouts upon realizing what a disaster +had fallen upon them. Tom however was not the one to forget that he had +made a special study of "first aid to the injured," as had also Rob +Shaefer. + +"Carry him over here, where we'll make a soft bed of the blankets, and +then we've got to see how badly he's hurt!" was what Tom called out, +hurrying on ahead to arrange things. + +His example seemed contagious. Boys are apt to follow a leader very +much as sheep will a bell-wether. Everybody wanted to assist; and the +feeling of panic gave way to one of confidence. Scouts should be equal +to any sudden emergency; and in that way prove the value of their +education along the lines of usefulness. + +Walter was groaning dismally, although trying his best to bear the +pain. He looked as white as a sheet in the face. Tom's first act was to +force himself to appear cheerful; he knew that if all of them stared +and shuddered it would have a bad effect on the injured lad. + +When they had made an examination Tom and Rob agreed that one of the +bones only had been broken. + +"It's a painful thing, but not nearly so bad as a compound fracture +would be," Tom announced. "I think we can set it all right, +temporarily, and then bind the leg up. In the meantime, Mr. +Witherspoon, please make up your mind what we'd better do about getting +Walter home in a hurry, where the doctor can take charge of him." + +"I hope you won't think of giving up your hike just on account of me, +fellows," said the poor Walter, weakly, showing a magnanimous spirit in +adversity that made his chums feel all the more admiration for him. + +"Leave that to me," Mr. Witherspoon announced; "I remember seeing an +old car in the yard of that house we passed some three miles back. If +you boys can make some sort of stretcher for carrying Walter I'll see +that he gets home to-day, if I have to accompany him, and then come +back again to you." + +This cheered the stricken lad as nothing else could have done. Home +just then had a most alluring look to Walter. The woods may seem all +very delightful when a boy is perfectly well, but let sickness or an +accident put him on his back, and there is nothing like one's own +home. + +After making some preparations, Tom and Rob announced that they were +ready. + +"It's going to hurt you some, Walter," said the patrol leader, +regretfully; "but it's got to be done, you know. Those two ends of the +bone must be brought together, and after that we intend to bandage your +leg the very best we know how." + +Walter shut his teeth hard together, and seemed to prepare for the +worst. + +"Go ahead, boys," he said, grimly; "I'll have to grin and bear it, I +guess. And I deserve all I'm getting for being so silly as to slip when +I was climbing that tree to see what was in the hole in the trunk." + +He managed to stand it very bravely indeed, though the agony must have +been intense. The other scouts heaved a sigh when they saw the amateur +surgeons start to binding up the injured limb. + +"That's all through with, Walter," said Tom, cheerily, "and you stood +it like a soldier, we'll all declare. Just as soon as that litter is +done you're going to be carried back to that house, if it takes every +one of us to do the job." + +Josh and some of the others had been busily engaged trying to construct +a suitable litter. Fortunately they had learned how this should be +done, for it is one of the duties of every Boy Scout to know this. + +With the ax they cut a couple of stout poles about eight feet in +length. These were to constitute the sides, and would form the handles, +each one to be in charge of a scout. + +A blanket was arranged across these in such a manner that there would +not be the slightest danger of its slipping, after the two poles had +been held a certain distance apart with a couple of cross-pieces. + +When finally the litter was completed it was pronounced first-class by +every one. + +"I'm proud of the way you boys grapple with an emergency," said Mr. +Witherspoon, enthusiastically. "You're all a credit to the organization +to which you belong. I mean that your light shall not be kept under a +bushel, for this is an example worthy of being spread abroad, and +copied by other scouts." + +The next thing was to lift Walter to the litter, which was done without +giving the poor fellow much pain. He seemed so grateful for every +little thing they did for him, and looked so pitiful lying there that +tender-hearted Billy Button was observed to hurriedly rush away, +pretending that he wanted to wash his hands down at the water, when +they all knew the tears had been welling up in his eyes. + +"It's going to be no easy task getting him all the way back to that +house," said Mr. Witherspoon, "especially over such rough ground as +we've struck. Four will be needed to work at a time, and they'll have +to be relieved often, so perhaps we had better all go along save one +scout, who can stay to look after the camp." + +"Let Billy stay," said Josh; "he was complaining of a stone bruise on +his heel, and would be better off here than taking that six mile +tramp." + +So it was decided that Billy Button should remain in the camp. He did +not look as if he enjoyed the prospect very much. + +"No wild animals around here to bother you, Billy," Josh assured him, +when they were prepared to make the start. + +"You forget those dogs, I guess," Billy told him; "they must be pretty +mad at us for holding them up. What must I do if they take a notion to +come back and threaten to eat me up?" + +"Oh! the easiest thing for you to try," Josh told him, "would be to +shin up this tree here, and wait for us to rescue you. We've hung our +grub up so nothing can get hold of it. But don't worry, Billy; there +isn't one chance in ten that the dogs'll come back this way." + +It was a strange procession that left the camp. Stanley took a picture +of the litter bearers so they would have something to remember the +occurrence by; and Walter had so far recovered from the shock and the +acute pain as to be able to raise his head, so that he might appear in +the scene as the object of all this excitement. + +Billy saw them depart, and then turned his attention to other things. +Being left in full charge of the camp he had a sense of responsibility +resting upon him, such as he had never experienced before. + +It would take them perhaps two full hours going that distance with the +injured boy, because great care would be required in picking the +easiest way. Of course the return journey would be made in half that +time. + +Altogether three hours might elapse, even with the best of luck, before +the main body of scouts could be expected back; and Billy had been told +that they would depend on him to get supper started. + +It was fine to see how very careful the litter bearers were as they +pushed along the back trail. One would go ahead to lead the way, and so +avoid any unusually rough places as much as possible. Every boy looked +well to his footing, since any sort of jolt, such as would accompany a +stumble, was apt to cause Walter unnecessary pain. + +Their progress was necessarily somewhat slow. Tom said that was one of +the times when it paid to be sure rather than to try to make speed. And +from the fact that not once did they cause poor Walter to give a groan +it could be seen that these careful litter-bearers fulfilled their duty +fully as well as Red Cross or hospital attendants could have done. + +The two hours and more had passed before they came to the house at +which Mr. Witherspoon had remembered seeing a car. It turned out that +the man who lived there was doing so for his health. He wanted to be in +a quiet place on account of shattered nerves. + +When he learned what had happened he told them he would gladly take the +injured scout to his home, and that there was room also for Mr. +Witherspoon, whom he would bring back with him again. + +The splendid manner in which the scouts had managed, both with regard +to doing up the fractured limb, and in making that litter, excited the +man's admiration; and he felt that he could not do too much for those +self-reliant lads. + +"Such work should be encouraged by every right-thinking man or woman," +he told them; "and after you've all had a cup of hot coffee, which my +wife is getting ready right now, we'll be off." + +Of course all of them were feeling much more cheerful, now that they +knew the hike would not have to be abandoned on account of this +accident. Some of the boys had begun to fear this would be the result. + +"When I get back here from town," Mr. Witherspoon told them, "it is apt +to be late, and I'll be too tired to try that three miles over rough +ground. So I've made arrangements to stay here over-night with our good +friends. In the morning after breakfast I'll start off along the trail +for the camp. Of course it would be nice if several of you met me half +way there." + +"We'll be only too glad to do that, sir," Josh told him; for Mr. +Witherspoon had by this time firmly entrenched himself in the +affections of his boys, who believed him to be the best scout master +any troop had ever boasted, barring none. + +After seeing the car start, and giving Walter a rousing send-off that +must have done his heart good, the rest of the boys concluded to turn +their faces toward the camp. + +"Three hours will seem an age to Billy Button," said Horace, who was +feeling quite proud of the fact that he had been chosen as one of the +litter-bearers. + +"Oh! he'll have plenty to do cleaning all those fish we caught this +morning, and some other odd jobs I gave him," remarked Josh, +carelessly. + +"Billy is inclined to be timid," Felix observed, loftily; "and it's a +good thing, for him to be left alone once in a while. Nothing like +making a scout feel he's just got to depend on himself for things." + +The three miles was soon covered by the returning eight scouts. + +"I can see smoke ahead!" announced Josh presently. + +"Yes, and there's the pond shining in the light of the sun," added +Felix. + +"Isn't that our chum, Billy, waving his hands to us?" asked George. +"Looks as if he wanted us to hurry up some. I wonder what's happened +now?" + +"Oh! he's only anxious for us to join him," said Carl; "perhaps he made +a mistake in the time we were to be back, and he's gone and cooked all +the fish." + +It was soon seen, however, that the guardian of the camp had a good +reason for his excitement. His face bore a troubled expression, it +struck Tom, when he drew near the camp. + +"Anything gone wrong here Billy?" he asked. + +"I should say there had, Tom!" he burst out with. "Why, would you +believe it, some miserable tramps raided the camp, and got away with +most of our stuff!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +SCOUT GRIT + + +"Tell us how it happened, Billy!" said the patrol leader, when the +clamor of excited voices partly died away, giving him a chance to make +himself heard. + +"Yes, what did they do to you, Billy?" demanded Josh, noticing that the +other did not seem to be limping, or showing any other signs of having +met with rough treatment at the hands of the camp raiders. + +"Why, it was this way," Billy hastened to explain. "You see I was down +by the water cleaning all those fish at the time. Guess I must have +been pretty much a whole hour at the job. And I'd just about finished +when I thought I heard somebody give a sneeze, which made me get up off +my knees and look around." + +"And did you see the tramps in camp cleaning things out then?" asked +Felix. + +"Well, no, not exactly," replied Billy; "the most I thought I saw was +something moving in the bushes on the other side of the camp; and yes, +it was just like a laugh too that I caught." + +"What did you do?" asked Josh. + +"I wondered if those wild dogs had come back," said the guardian of the +camp, "and the first thing I thought to do was to put the pan of fish +I'd cleaned up in the crotch of a tree. Then I went to the camp, and +oh! my stars I but it was in an _awful_ mess, with things flung around, +and most of our eatables taken, as well as the frying-pan and +coffee-pot!" + +"Oh! that's sure the limit!" groaned Josh. "We'll never be able to keep +on our hike with nothing to eat or drink, and not a pan to cook stuff +in, even if we bought it from the farmers. It spells the end, fellows!" + +"Yes," echoed George, always seeing the worst side of things, "we'll +have to go back to town like dogs with their tails between their legs, +and have all the other fellows make fun of us." + +"Hold on there, fellows, don't show the white feather so easily," said +Tom, who was looking very determined. + +"Do you mean there's any chance for us to keep going, after our things +have been taken in this way?" demanded George. + +"Well, we can talk that over to-night, and then see what Mr. +Witherspoon has to say about it when he joins us in the morning," Tom +told him. "As for me, I'd be willing to go on half rations rather than +own up beat. How do we know but that this raid on our stuff was made +just to force us to give up our hike?" + +"Why, how could that be?" asked Billy Button, wonderingly. + +"And why would hoboes want that to happen?" added George. + +"When Billy says they were tramps he's only jumping to conclusions," +Tom explained, "he doesn't know a thing about it, because he owns up he +failed to get even a single look at the thieves. I've got my own +opinion about this thing." + +"Meaning you believe you know who the fellows were?" questioned Carl. + +"Stop and think--who would like nothing better than to put us in a +hole? Don't we happen to know that Tony Pollock and his crowd are +around here on Big Bear Mountain somewhere? Didn't they rob that hen +roost of Mr. Perkins?" + +"Tom, I really believe you're right!" exclaimed Josh, beginning to look +at the matter from the standpoint taken by the patrol leader. + +"We can soon settle that part of it!" declared Rob Shaeffer. + +"By hunting for their tracks, and finding out how many thieves there +were," Tom went on to say. "Come on Billy, and show me just where you +saw the bushes moving when that laugh struck you." + +He called upon the others to keep back so that they might not spoil any +tracks to be found at that particular spot. A very little search showed +the boys what they so eagerly sought. + +"Here are tracks enough, and all heading away from the camp," said the +patrol leader presently, "let's see how we can classify them, for every +footprint will be different from the others." + +"Here's one that is square across the toe," announced Josh, instantly. +"And say, seems to me I remember Asa Green always wears shoes like +that. Now Wedge McGuffey has got broad shoulders and spindle legs, and +he wears a pointed shoe like the one that made these tracks." + +"Here's another that's got a patch across the toe," said Felix. +"Couldn't mistake that shoe, no matter where you saw it. A fellow could +be hung on such circumstantial evidence as that." + +"And here's a fourth that's different from any of the rest," continued +Tom, as he pointed downward, "so it looks as if there were just four in +the bunch, which you may remember corresponds with the number in Tony +Pollock's crowd, now that Dock Phillips has thrown his lot in with +them." + +Some of the scouts expressed their indignation loudly as they +investigated the results of the daring raid. It would not have been +pleasant for Tony and his cronies had they been brought face to face +with the angry scouts about that time. + +Tom Chesney soon had reason to admit that he had met with a personal +loss that bothered him exceedingly. + +"They've even taken my little diary in which I've been keeping an +accurate account of our entire trip," he announced; "though what good +that could do them I'm at a loss to understand." + +"Oh! they just believed it would make you feel bad," explained Carl; +"and that would tickle Tony, he's such a mean sort of fellow. Perhaps +he expects to read it out to the others while they sit by their fire, +and then throw it away. I hope you can write it all over again, Tom." + +"Too bad!" declared Josh, "when you went to such trouble to jot +everything down just as it happened, thinking you might take that prize +offered for the best true account of a hike by scouts." + +"I'll make sure to write this latest adventure out while it's fresh in +my mind," remarked Tom, bent on making the best of a bad bargain. + +"Well," observed Felix, "all I hope is that we decide not to give up +the ship for such a little thing as being without provisions. It'll +make us hustle some to lay in a supply; but, after all, the experience +is going to be a great thing for us." + +"And if it comes to a vote," added Horace, showing unexpected stamina +in this emergency; "count on my voice being raised against giving up. +Why, I'm just getting interested in this game, and I find it pretty +exciting." + +"Just what I say!" echoed Josh. + +"And I!" came from every one of the others, without even the exception +of poor Billy, who seemed to feel that he might be mostly to blame +because the raid on the camp had been conducted while he was in charge. + +Tom smiled on hearing so unanimous an expression of opinion. He knew +that even such an apparent catastrophe as had befallen them was not +going to cause these gallant fellows to "take water." + +"How long ago was it that the raid took place, Billy?" asked Josh, as +though a sudden idea had struck him. + +"Oh! I should say about an hour or more," replied the other, after +thinking it over. "I suppose they watched the camp for a while to make +sure I was the only one around. Then when they saw me so busy down +there by the pond they just started to root. They may have been poking +around half an hour, for all I know; I was keeping my eyes on my work +and thinking of poor Walter." + +"Tom, would it pay us to follow them right now?" demanded Josh, while +his eyes sparkled with the spirit of retaliation, as though he could +picture them pouncing on the spoilers of the camp, and making them pay +dearly for their frolic. + +The patrol leader, however, shook his head in the negative, much to the +disappointment of the impetuous Josh. + +"In the first place they were apt to hurry off," said Tom. "Then they +might even try to blind their trail, though I don't believe any of them +know much of the Indian way of doing that. But the sun will soon set, +and it grows dark early along the northeast side of Big Bear Mountain +you know." + +"Yes," added George, always ready with an objection, "and some of us +feel a little tired after all we've gone through with to-day." + +"We'd better leave that until Mr. Witherspoon joins us in the morning," +concluded Tom. "Of course that wouldn't prevent a couple of scouts +following the trail a bit while breakfast was cooking, and saving us +that much trouble later on." + +"The next thing for us to see about is how under the sun will we cook +all these delicious bass Billy's got ready?" remarked Felix. + +"Oh! I forgot to tell you they missed one frying-pan," remarked Billy, +exultantly; "it chanced to be hanging from a nail I drove in a tree, +and they couldn't have seen it. By making relays we can do our cooking +in that." + +"Besides, we're two shy of our original number," added Horace. + +"What would we have done without any skillet at all, Tom?" asked Billy. + +"Oh! there are ways of doing it by heating a flat stone, and cooking +the fish on that," replied Tom. "Then some old hunters who won't bother +to carry a frying-pan into the woods with them manage by toasting the +meat or fish at the end of a long sliver of wood. Given the fish and a +hot fire, the fellow who couldn't invent some way of cooking would +deserve to go hungry." + +"That's right," agreed Josh. "And everybody notice that it's going to +take more than a little thing like this to stall the scouts who are up +to their business." + +Indeed, there did seem to be an unusual spirit of animation among the +boys that evening. Every fellow was anxious to assist in getting supper +ready, so that after all it began to look at one time like a case of +"too many cooks spoiling the broth." + +When the first batch of fish had been browned they were kept hot on a +clean stone close to the fire while the other lot was cooked. As their +supply of coffee had gone together with numerous other things, the boys +had to drink cold water for supper. Loud were the lamentations over +this. + +"The smell of coffee, bacon, or fried onions is what always makes it +seem like camping out," declared Josh, sadly; "and now we haven't got a +single one of those lovely things left. Our breakfast is going to be a +pretty limited one; and as for other meals to-morrow, where they are +going to come from is a question I'd like somebody to settle." + +"Listen," said Tom. "I'm going to get you up at daylight, Josh." + +"Me? What for? Do we have to start in fishing that early, or else go +hungry?" + +"I want you to go along with me, that's all, Josh." + +"Along--where to, may I ask?" continued the other scout, wonderingly. + +"Back to where we took Walter," replied Tom; "I think when that +gentleman hears what's happened to us, after we tell Mr. Witherspoon, +he might be willing to sell us some supplies, such as coffee and bacon, +and even loan us an extra frying-pan, as well as some sort of tin to +boil coffee in." + +So, after all, the boys who gathered around the camp fire that evening, +after such an eventful day, did not seem to be cast down one-half as +much as undoubtedly the four young rascals who had played this mean +trick upon them expected would be the case. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE CABIN IN THE WOODS + + +It was just about an hour after dawn, and the sun had hardly got +started on his journey toward the zenith, when two boys in the khaki +garb of scouts arrived at the house to which Walter Douglass had been +carried on a litter. + +Mr. Witherspoon on coming out to get a breath of air before breakfast +was announced was surprised and pleased to see Tom and Josh. + +"Why, this is splendid of you, boys!" he remarked, as they came toward +him. "Of course you were anxious to know about your comrade. We got him +safely home, and called the doctor, who said he would not have to set +the limb again, since you scouts had done the job in first-class style. +It's a feather in your cap, for he is sure to tell it everywhere. Now, +what makes you look so glum, Josh?" + +That gave them a chance to explain. When the scout master heard of the +latest outrage of which the Tony Pollock crowd had been guilty, he was +much annoyed. + +"We thought," Tom went on to say, "that perhaps by coming over here +before you got started we might influence the gentleman to spare us a +small amount of coffee, a strip of bacon, and some sort of tin to make +the coffee in." + +"No harm trying," Mr. Witherspoon immediately remarked; "and it does +you credit to have thought up such a scheme. I've found him an +accommodating gentleman. If he has anything he can spare I'm sure we'll +be welcome to it." + +When the matter was mentioned to Mr. Clark, he immediately offered to +help them out as far as he could do so. + +"I can give you plenty of eggs," he said, "and enough coffee for +several meals. It happens that I'm shy on bacon just now, and intended +to run in to town to stock up either to-day or to-morrow, when I have +my eggs to dispose of. What I can spare, you're entirely welcome to." + +Nor would he allow them to pay a cent for what he handed over to them. + +"What I've heard about you boys from Mr. Witherspoon here has aroused +my interest greatly," he told Tom and Josh as they were about to +depart; "and I'd be glad to know more about such a splendid movement as +this promises to be. You must keep me informed of your progress. I +would appreciate an occasional letter. Then, if it happens that your +account of the outing is ever put in print, Tom, remember me with a +copy." + +"I certainly will, sir," the patrol leader promised, for he realized +that the gentleman and his wife led a lonely life of it, removed from +association as they were, with most of their fellows. + +They reached the camp in three-quarters of an hour after leaving the +house, and received a noisy welcome from the rest of the boys, who gave +their leaders the regular scout salute as they came into camp. + +Then once again the affair was discussed, this time with Mr. +Witherspoon to listen and give occasional comments. It ended in their +original plan's being sustained. They would not give up, and would try +to carry out the plan as arranged before the hike was started. + +Tom had an idea that they must be near the cabin of Larry Henderson, +the naturalist whom he had met in Lenox, at the time of the snowball +battle with the Pollock crowd. + +"He gave me directions how to find his cabin," Tom explained to his +companions when they were discussing this matter, "and I believe we +must be somewhere near there right now. I asked Mr. Clark, and what he +could tell me only confirmed my idea." + +"But Tom, do you think we could get some supplies from him?" asked +Josh. + +"There's a reasonable chance of that," he was told. "I understood him +to say he always kept a supply of all sorts of food on hand. It was to +lay in a lot that took him down to Lenox that time, you know." + +"Then goodness knows I hope we can run on his shack to-day," said Felix +fervently. "We want most of all coffee, potatoes, onions, bacon, ham, +and, well anything that can stop the gap when ten campers are half +starved." + +"Shall we get started right away, Tom?" asked George, who looked +distressed, as though he had not been wholly satisfied with the amount +of his breakfast. + +"There's nothing to delay us, since we have no tents to come down," Tom +told him. "Every fellow fold up a blanket, and make his pack ready." + +"It's going to be marching in light order with us nowadays," sighed +Felix, "with all our good stuff stolen. That's the only compensation I +can see about it." + +"Tom, you've studied your chart good and hard, let's hope," commented +Josh; "so we won't run any chance of going past the place without +knowing it?" + +"He gave me certain land marks that I couldn't very well miss seeing," +explained the patrol leader. + +"According to my way of thinking," Felix was saying, "we must be half +around the foot of Big Bear Mountain by this time." + +"You've got the right idea of it," admitted the one who carried the +chart; "and Mr. Henderson's cabin isn't far away from here. That crag +up on the side of the mountain was one of the things he told me about. +When we can get it in a direct line with that peak up there we will be +within shouting distance of his place." + +Tom continued to keep on his guard as they pressed onward. Every one +was alive to the necessity of finding the cabin of the old naturalist +as soon as possible. Farms were so rare up here that they found they +could not count on getting their supplies from such places; and the +possibility of going hungry was not a pleasant prospect. + +After all it was an hour after noon when Tom announced the fact that +the several land marks which had been given to him were in conjunction. + +"The cabin must be around here somewheres," he said, positively. + +Hardly had he spoken when Josh was noticed to be sniffing the air in a +suspicious fashion. + +"What is it, Josh?" asked the scout master. + +"I smell smoke, that's all," was the answer. + +Others could do the same, now that their attention was called to the +fact. + +"With the breeze coming from over that way, it ought to be plain enough +we must look for the cabin there," remarked Tom. + +The further they advanced the plainer became the evidence that there +was a fire of some sort ahead of them. Presently they got a whiff of +cooking, at which some of the hungry scouts began to sniff the air like +war horses when the odor of burnt powder comes down the breeze from the +battlefield. + +"There it is!" exclaimed one of the watchful boys, suddenly. + +Yes, there stood a commodious cabin right in the midst of the thick +woods. It was a charming site for the home of one who loved nature as +much as the old naturalist did. + +When a vociferous shout rang forth a form was seen to come quickly to +the open doorway. It was the same genial Larry Henderson whom some of +the scouts had once rescued from the unkind assault of the bully of +Lenox and his crowd, as they pelted the lame man with hard ice balls. + +He welcomed them to his little home with a heartiness that could not be +doubted, and soon a royal dinner was being prepared for the whole +party. While this was being dispatched later on, the owner of the woods +cabin listened to the story of the great hike over Big Bear Mountain, +as told by the boys. + +Everything seemed to interest him very much indeed, and when last of +all they told him how some unscrupulous boys had stolen most of their +supplies, meaning to break up the hike, Mr. Henderson looked pleased. + +"Don't let a little thing like that deter you, boys, from carrying out +your original proposition," he remarked. "I can spare you all you want +in the way of supplies. Yes and even to a coffee-pot and an extra +frying-pan. An enterprise as splendidly started as this has been must +not be allowed to languish, or be utterly wrecked through the mean +tricks of such scamps as those boys." + +He was pleased when they gave him a round of hearty cheers, such as +could only spring from a group of lively, wide-awake American boys. + +Afterwards he showed Tom and some of the others many things that +interested them more than words could tell. Indeed, so fascinating were +the various things he took the trouble to explain to them, that the +scouts only wished they could stay at the cabin in the woods for a +number of days, enjoying his society. + +It was decided that they must remain there at least until another +morning, which would give them a night with the naturalist and hunter, +a prospect that afforded satisfaction all around. + +Tom soon saw that Mr. Henderson had something on his mind which he +wished to confide to him; consequently he was not much surprised when +he saw him beckon to the leader of the Black Bear Patrol to join him. + +"Tell Mr. Witherspoon to come, too, and also that bright chap you call +Rob," remarked the recluse. "It is a little matter that may interest +you and I think it best to lay the story before you, and then let you +decide for yourselves what you want to do. Still, from what I've seen +up to this time of your character, I can give a pretty shrewd guess +what your answer will be." + +Of course this sort of talk aroused a good deal of curiosity in both +Tom Chesner and Rob Shaefer, and they impatiently awaited the coming of +the scout master. + +"And now I'll explain," Mr. Henderson told them, when he found three +eager pairs of eyes fastened on him. "I chanced to be about half a mile +away from home an hour before noon to-day when I heard angry voices, +and discovered that several persons were about to pass by, following a +trail that leads straight into the worst bog around the foot of Big +Bear Mountain." + +"I warrant you that it must have been the four young rascals who robbed +our camp, that you saw," ventured Mr. Witherspoon. + +"I know now that it was as you say," continued the other. "At the time +I might have called out and warned them of the peril that lay in wait +for them if they should continue along that misleading trail, but when +I looked at their faces, and heard a little of the vile language they +used, I determined that it would be a very unwise thing for me to let +them know I lived so near." + +"And you allowed them to go on past, you mean, sir?" questioned Mr. +Witherspoon. + +"Yes, I regret to confess it now," came the reply, "but at the time it +seemed to be simply ordinary caution on my part. Besides, how was I to +know they would pay the slightest heed to anything I might say? I did +not like their looks. But since then I've had grave doubts about the +wisdom of my course, and was more than half inclined to start out, lame +though I am, to see whether they did get off the only safe trail, and +lose themselves in the bog." + +"Is it then so dangerous?" asked Mr. Witherspoon; while Tom was saying +to himself that perhaps the chance so ardently desired by poor Carl +might be coming at last. + +"There are places where it might be death itself to any one who got off +the trail, and became bewildered. The mud is deceptive, and once one +gets fast in it an hour or two is apt to see him swallowed up; nor will +his fate ever be known, for the bottomless mire of the bog never +discloses its secrets." + +Tom drew a long breath. + +"If you will show us the way there, sir," he told the naturalist, "we +will certainly accompany you." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +INTO THE BIG BOG + + +"Is it worth our while to bother with that crowd, Tom?" asked Josh, +with a look approaching disgust on his face. + +One lad waited to hear what reply the patrol leader would make with +more or less eagerness, as his face indicated. Needless to say this was +Carl Oskamp, who had so much at stake in the matter. + +"There's just this about it, Josh," said Tom, gravely, "suppose after +we arrived safely home from this splendid hike, the first thing we +heard was that one or two of that crowd had been lost in the Great Bog +up here, and it was feared they must have found a grave in the mud +flats. How would we feel about it, knowing that we had had the chance +given to us to stretch out a helping hand them, and had failed?" + +Josh turned red in the face. Then he made a sudden gesture which meant +he was ready to throw up his hands. + +"Huh! guess you know best," he replied, in a husky voice; "I didn't +think of it that way. I'd sure hate to have such a thing on my mind +nights. Let's start right away then." + +That was the way with Josh; when he had anything unpleasant to do he +was always eager to get it accomplished. For that matter, however, +there were others among the scouts who wished to be astir, for the +words of the patrol leader had thrilled them. + +"What if they have gotten lost in that awful mud bog, and right now are +stuck fast there, whooping for help?" suggested Felix. + +Billy Button and Horace looked white with the very thought. As usual +George pretended to make light of the whole matter, though some of them +fancied much of his disbelief was assumed, for George had a reputation +to maintain. + +"Oh! no danger of those Smart Alecks being caught so easy," he told +them; "they could slip through any sort of bog without getting stuck. +Like as not we'll only have our trouble for our pains." + +"You can stay here at the cabin if you like, George," Tom told him. + +That, however, was far from George's mind; if the others meant "to make +fools of themselves he guessed he could stand it too"; and when they +started forth George had his place in the very van. Josh often said +George's "bark was worse than his bite." + +"Fortunately," said the old naturalist, "the Great Bog isn't more than +a mile away from here, and as I've spent many a happy hour there +observing the home life of the little creatures that live in its depths +the ground is familiar to me." + +"But you still limp, I notice, sir," remarked Tom; "are you sure you +can make it to-day? Hadn't we better try it alone?" + +"I wouldn't think of letting you," replied the other, hastily. "I shall +get along fairly well, never fear. This limp has become more a habit +with me than anything else, I must admit. But if you are ready let us +start off." + +Accordingly the entire party began to head in the direction taken by +those four boys from Lenox. Rob and Josh were keeping a close watch, +and from time to time announced that those they were following had +actually come along that same trail, for they could see their +footprints. + +"You know we took note of the different prints made by their shoes," +Rob told some of the other boys when they expressed surprise that this +should be possible, "and it's easy enough to tell them every once in a +while." + +"They are really following my usual trail, which I always take when +going to or returning from a trip," explained the hermit-naturalist, +looking pleased at this manifestation of scout sagacity on the part of +the trackers. + +Tom was keeping alongside his chum Carl, instead of being with those +who led the procession. He had a reason for this, too; since he had +seen that the other was again showing signs of nervousness. + +"Tom," said Carl in a low voice as they walked steadily onward, "do you +think I may have a chance to see Dock face to face, so I can ask him +again to tell me what he ever did with that paper he took?" + +"While of course I can't say positively," was Tom's steady answer, "I +seem to feel that something's going to happen that will make you +happier than you've been this many a long day, Carl." + +"Oh! I hope you're on the right track!" exclaimed Carl, drawing a long +breath, as he clutched the arm of his faithful chum. "It would mean +everything to me if only I could go home knowing I was to get that +paper. Just think what a fine present it would be to my mother, worried +half to death as she is right now over the future." + +"Well, keep hoping for the best, and it's all going to come out well. +But what's that the boys are saying?" + +"I think they must have sighted the beginning of the Great Bog," +replied Carl. "Do you suppose Mr. Henderson has brought that stout +rope along with the idea that it may be needed to pull any one out of +the mud?" + +"Nothing else," said Tom. "He knows all about this place, and from what +he's already told us I reckon it must be a terrible hole." + +"Especially in that one spot where he says the path is hidden under the +ooze, and that if once you lose it you're apt to get in deeper and +deeper, until there's danger of being sucked down over your head." + +"It's a terrible thing to think of," declared Tom; "worse even than +being caught in a quicksand in a creek, as I once found myself." + +"How did you get out?" asked Carl. "I never heard you say anything +about it before, Tom?" + +"Oh! in my case it didn't amount to much," was the answer, "because I +realized my danger by the time the sand was half way to my knees. I +suppose if I'd tried to draw one foot out the other would have only +gone down deeper, for that's the way they keep sinking, you know." + +"But tell me how you escaped?" insisted Carl. + +"I happened to know something about quicksands," responded the other, +modestly, "and as soon as I saw what a fix I was in I threw myself +flat, so as to present as wide a surface as I could, and crawled and +rolled until I got ashore. Of course I was soaked, but that meant very +little compared with the prospect of being smothered there in that +shallow creek." + +"But the chances are Tony and those other fellows know nothing at all +about the best ways to escape from a sucking bog," ventured Carl. + +"Yes, and I can see that Mr. Henderson is really worried about it. He +is straining his ears all the while, and I think he must be listening +in hope of hearing calls for help." + +"But none of us have heard anything like that!" said the other. + +"No, not a shout that I could mention," Tom admitted. "There are those +noisy crows keeping up a chatter in the tree-tops where they are +holding a caucus, and some scolding bluejays over here, but nothing +that sounds like a human cry." + +"It looks bad, and makes me feel shivery," continued Carl. + +"Oh! we mustn't let ourselves think that all of them could have been +caught," the patrol leader hastened to say, meaning to cheer his chum +up. "They may have been smarter than Mr. Henderson thinks, and managed +to get through the bog without getting stuck." + +Perhaps Carl was comforted by these words on the part of his chum; but +nevertheless the anxious look did not leave his face. + +They had by this time fully entered the bog. It was of a peculiar +formation, and not at all of a nature to cause alarm in the beginning. +Indeed it seemed as though any person with common sense could go +through on those crooked trails that ran this way and that. + +The old naturalist had taken the lead at this point, and they could see +that he kept watching the trail in front of him. From time to time he +would speak, and the one who came just behind passed the word along, so +in turn every scout knew that positive marks betrayed the fact of +Tony's crowd having really come that way. + +By slow degrees the nature of the bog changed. One might not notice +that his surroundings had become less promising, and that the surface +of the ooze, green though it was, would prove a delusion and a snare if +stepped on, allowing the foot to sink many inches in the sticky mass. + +In numerous places they could see where the boys ahead of them had +missed the trail, though always managing to regain the more solid +ground. + +"It's getting a whole lot spooky in here, let me tell you!" admitted +Felix, after they had been progressing for some time. + +"But it's entirely different from a real swamp, you see," remarked +Josh; "I've been in a big one and I know." + +"How about that, Josh; wouldn't you call a bog a swamp, too?" asked +George. + +"Not much I wouldn't," was the reply. "A swamp is always where there +are dense trees, hanging vines and water. It's a terribly gloomy place +even in the middle of the day, and you're apt to run across snakes, and +all sorts of things like that." + +"Well, we haven't seen a single snake so far," admitted Horace. "I'm +glad, too, because I never did like the things. This isn't so very +gloomy, when you come to look around you, but I'd call it just +desolate, and let it go at that." + +"Black mud everywhere, though it's nearly always covered with a +deceptive green scum," remarked Josh, "with here and there puddles of +water where the frogs live and squawk the live-long day." + +"I wonder how deep that mud is anyhow?" speculated George. + +"Suppose you get a pole and try while we're resting here," suggested +Josh, with a wink at the scout next to him. + +George thereupon looked around, and seeing a pole which Mr. Henderson +may have placed there at some previous time he started to push it into +the bog. + +"What d'ye think of that, fellows?" he exclaimed, in dismay when he had +rammed the seven foot pole down until three fourths of its length had +vanished in the unfathomable depths of soft muck. + +"Why, seems as if there wasn't any bottom at all to the thing," said +Felix. + +"Of course there is a bottom," remarked the naturalist, who had been +watching the boys curiously; "but in some places I've been unable to +reach it with the longest pole I could manage." + +"Have we passed that dangerous place you were telling us about, sir?" +asked Mr. Witherspoon. + +"No, it is still some little distance ahead," came the reply. + +"If it's much worse than right here I wouldn't give five cents for +their chances," declared George. + +"Hark!" exclaimed Tom just then. + +"What did you hear?" cried Carl. + +"It sounded like voices to me, though some distance off, and coming +from further along the trail," the patrol leader asserted. + +"They may be stuck in the mire and trying every way they can to get +out," observed the naturalist. "Let us give them a shout, boys. Now, +all together!" + +As they all joined in, the volume of sound must have been heard a mile +away. Hardly had the echoes died out than from beyond came loud calls, +and plainly they heard the words "Help, help! Oh! come quick, somebody! +Help!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL + + +When that wailing cry reached their ears it thrilled the scouts through +and through, for now they knew that the worst must have happened to the +wretched Tony Pollock and his three cronies, adrift in the treacherous +muck bog. + +"Forward, but be very careful to keep in my tracks all the time!" +called out the naturalist as he started off. + +They wound around this way and that. There were times when Rob, who +came directly on the heels of the pilot, could not see the slightest +trace of a trail; but he realized that from long association and +investigation Mr. Henderson knew exactly where to set his feet, and +thus avoid unpleasant consequences. + +They now and then sent out reassuring calls, for those unseen parties +ahead continued to make fervent appeals, as though a terrible fear +assailed them that the rescuers might go astray and miss them. + +By degrees the shouts sounded closer, though becoming exceedingly +hoarse. Presently Felix called out that he believed he had glimpsed the +unfortunate boys. + +"Oh! they're all in the mud, and up to their waists at that!" he cried. + +"No, you're wrong there, Felix," said Josh. "Three of them seem to be +stuck fast, but there's one up in that tree nearly over them. He must +have managed to pull himself up there, somehow or other." + +"He's got a branch, and is trying to help one of his mates," asserted +Rob. "But he doesn't seem to be making much headway." + +"They're in a peck of trouble, believe me!" admitted George, for once +neglecting to sneer at the prospect of a fatality. + +Carl was trying to make out who the three in the bog were. + +"Can you see if _he's_ in there, Tom?" he asked, eagerly. + +"Yes, it's Wedge McGuffey up in the tree, and the others must be Tony, +Asa and Dock," the patrol leader assured him; nor did he blame poor +Carl for sighing as though in relief, for he could easily guess what it +meant to him, this golden opportunity to be of help to the stubborn boy +who could lift the load from his heart, if only he chose. + +When they came closer to the struggling captives in the lake of mud +they heard them actually sobbing for joy. Hope must have been almost +gone when first they heard that chorus of cheering shouts. And when the +scouts saw what a desperate condition the three prisoners were in they +could not blame them for showing such emotion in the excess of their +joy. + +Soon the newcomers were as close as they could come to the three who +were stuck there in the mire. Never would they forget their deplorable +appearance. They had evidently floundered about until they were fairly +plastered over with the mud, and looked like imps. + +"Can't you get us out of here, fellers?" called Tony Pollock, in a +voice that seemed almost cracked, such was his excitement, and his +fears that these scouts, whom he had done his best to injure, might +think to pay him back in his own coin and abandon him to his fate. + +"Yes, we'll manage it some way or other," said the hermit-naturalist. +"Keep as still as you can, because every movement only sends you down +deeper." + +Then he turned to Tom, for he knew the patrol leader was the one to +take charge of the rescue party. + +"Here's the rope, Tom," he told him. "Pick out several of the stoutest +of your comrades, and make use of the tree as a lever. It's all very +simple, you can see, thought it may hurt them more or less when you +pull." + +Tom understood what was expected of him. + +"Come along with me, Carl, Rob and Josh," he said. "The rest of you +stand by and be ready to pull if we need any more help. We'll pass the +end of the rope back to you." + +"But how are we going to climb up in the tree?" asked Rob; "without +getting stuck in the mud ourselves?" + +"There's only one way," replied Tom, as he seized hold of a branch that +happened to be within reach, and commenced to climb it as though he +were a sailor swarming up a rope. + +When he had effected a lodgment above they threw the rope to him, and +after Tom had made one end fast to the thick limb the other three had +little difficulty in following him. + +Then they clambered out to where Wedge McGuffey was perched. His +condition betrayed the fact that he too had been caught in the muck; +but being closer to a friendly branch he must have made a tremendous +effort and climbed into the tree. + +First of all Tom made a running noose in the end of the rope. Then he +lowered this to Tony who was almost below the limb of which they were +astride. + +"Listen, Tony," said Tom, clearly, "put the loop under your arms, with +the knot at your chest. Then grin and bear it, because we've got to +drag hard to get you free from all that stuff you're in." + +"Oh! never mind about me, Tom; I'd stand anything if only I could get +out of this terrible place. Pull me in half if you have to; I'm game!" +said the boy below. + +They found that it was really a little harder than they had bargained +for, because of their insecure footing. Accordingly, after several +attempts that did not meet with much success, Tom had the other end of +the rope carried to the scouts who were on the ground. + +After that Tony just had to come. He evidently suffered pain, but, as +he had said, he was game, and in the end they hoisted him to the limb, +where he clung watching the next rescue. + +It happened that Asa was the second to be pulled out. Meanwhile Dock +was in great distress of mind. All his nerve seemed to have gone, for +he kept pleading with Carl not to think of having revenge because of +the way he had harmed him. + +"Only get me out of this, Carl," he kept saying, "and I've got +something right here in my pocket I'm meaning to give back to you. I +was getting shaky about it anyhow; but if you help me now you're +a-goin' to have it, sure you are, Carl!" + +It can easily be imagined that Carl worked feverishly when it came +time to get Dock Phillips out. He was deeper than either of the others +had been, and it required some very rough usage before finally they +loosened him from his miry bed. + +Dock groaned terribly while the work was being carried on, but they did +not stop for that, knowing it had to be. In the end he, too, was drawn +up to the limb, a most sorry looking spectacle indeed, but his groans +had now changed into exclamations of gratitude. + +It required much labor to get the four mud-daubed figures down to where +the others were awaiting them. Even Tom and his helpers were pretty +well plastered by that time, and their new uniforms looked anything but +fine. Josh grumbled a little, but as for Tom and Carl they felt that it +was worth all it cost and a great deal more. + +Carl would not wait any longer than he could help. Perhaps he believed +in "striking while the iron was hot." Tom too was egging him on, for he +felt that the sooner that precious paper was in the possession of his +chum the better. + +"Dock, I hope you mean to keep your word to me," Carl said, as they +took up the line of march over the ground that had been so lately +covered. + +Dock was seen to be fumbling as though reaching into an inner pocket; +and while the suspense lasted of course Carl held his very breath. +Then a hand reached back, and something in it was eagerly seized by +the widow's son. One look told him that it was the paper his mother +needed so much in order to balk the greedy designs of Amasa Culpepper. + +"How is everything now, Carl?" asked a voice in his ear, and turning he +found Tom's smiling face close to his own. + +"Oh! that terrible load seems to have fallen from my shoulders just as +water does from the back of a duck!" Carl exclaimed, joyously, and the +patrol leader saw that he was very happy. + +"I'm so glad!" was all Tom said, but the way he grasped his chum's hand +counted for much more than mere words. + +When they finally reached the end of the treacherous Great Bog there +was a halt called by the naturalist. + +"We must stop here and try to clean these boys off as best we can," he +announced. + +This was no easy task, but by making use of slivers of wood from a +fallen tree they finally managed to relieve Tony and his crowd of most +of the black mud, although they would be apt to carry patches of it on +their garments for some time after it dried. + +"Now," said the kindly old hermit-naturalist, "I'm going to invite all +of you up to my cabin, and we'll have a feast to-night in celebration +of this rescue from the Great Bog. You four lads have had a narrow +escape, and I only hope you'll never forget what the scouts have done +for you." + +Even Tony seemed affected, and certainly no one had ever before known +him to show the first sign of contrition. He went straight up to Tom +and looked him in the eye. + +"We played your crowd a mighty low trick I want to say, Tom Chesney; +and while we've et up most of the grub we took, here's something you +might be glad to get back again," and with that he thrust into the hand +of the patrol leader the little note-book which Tom had mourned as lost +to him forever. + +"I'm glad to have that again, Tony," the other said, offering his hand +to the contrite one; "because I mean to use my account of this hike +later on in trying for a prize. It's lucky you didn't throw it away as +you did the frying-pan and coffee-pot, which I see you failed to carry +along with you." + +"We know where they're hid in the brush," Tony hastened to declare; +"and I c'n get 'em again inside of an hour. I'm a-goin' to do it too, +'cause I feel mean about that thing. I'm done with callin' the scouts +names. Fellers that'd reach out a helpin' hand to them that didn't +deserve it must be the right sort. And laugh if you want to, Tom +Chesney, but when we get back home I want ye to lend me a book that +tells all a feller has to do when he thinks of gettin' up a scout +troop!" + +Tony was as good as his word. When he said a thing he stuck to it, +which was his best quality. He tramped a long way back along the trail, +and reappeared after sunset bearing the missing cooking utensils. + +"We're going to pay for the eatables we took later on, I promise ye, +Tom," he declared. + +They spent a great night and those four boys who had hated the scouts +so long learned many wonderful things connected with the great movement +as they sat by the fire, and listened to all that was said. + +In the morning they went their way, and appeared to be different youths +from what they had been in the past. + +Mr. Witherspoon and the scouts spent another day and night with the +hermit-naturalist. Then on the next morning they started forth to +complete their hike over Big Bear Mountain. + +It chanced that no further adventures came their way, and one afternoon +weary but well satisfied with the success of their trip, the troop +re-entered Lenox, with Felix sounding his fish horn just as valiantly +as though it were the most beautiful silver-plated bugle that money +could buy. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +WHEN CARL CAME HOME--CONCLUSION + + +Amasa Culpepper had taken advantage of the absence of Carl to drop +around that afternoon to see the widow. He fully believed that by this +time Dock Phillips had either destroyed or lost the paper he claimed to +have found; or else Amasa felt that he could secure possession of it at +any time by paying the sum the boy demanded. + +When Carl drew near his home he saw the well-known rig of the old +lawyer and grocer at the gate. Somehow, the sight gave Carl an +unpleasant feeling. Then, as his hand unconsciously went up to the +pocket where he had that precious paper, he felt a sensation of savage +joy. + +They would get rid of this nuisance at last. Mr. Culpepper would have +to produce the certificate for the oil shares that had become so +valuable, now that the receipt he had given for it could be produced, +and after that an era of prosperity would come to the Oskamp's, with +grim poverty banished forever. + +Carl entered by the gate, and passed around the side of the house +instead of using the front door as usual. + +The boy knew that the windows of the little sitting room must be open, +and of course the afternoon caller would be in there. Carl was anxious +to hear what had caused the rich old man to don his best clothes and +drop in to see his mother of an afternoon, though he strongly suspected +the reason back of it. + +It did not strike the boy that he was playing the part of an +eavesdropper, for in his mind just then the end justified the means. +And he knew that Amasa Culpepper had to be fought with his own weapons. + +Evidently he must have again asked Mrs. Oskamp to marry him, and as +before met with a laughing refusal, for Carl could hear him walking +nervously up and down in the little sitting room. + +Having exhausted his stock of arguments as to why she should think +seriously of his proposal, Mr. Culpepper seemed to be getting angry. He +had been courting the widow for a long time without making any +impression on her heart. It was time to change his tactics. Perhaps +since entreaties had failed something in the way of half-veiled threats +would become more successful. + +"You tell me that with the burning of the tenement building more than +half of your little property has been lost," Carl heard him saying as +he crouched there under the open window. + +"Yes, that is the sad truth, Mr. Culpepper," the widow admitted. + +"But with a family of children to bring up how are you going to live +from now on, when before this happened you had barely enough? If you +would seriously consider the proposition I make you, and become Mrs. +Culpepper, your children would have a good home." + +"That is very generous of you, Mr. Culpepper," Carl heard his mother +say, while he fairly held his breath in suspense for fear she might +agree to what the other asked; "but I cannot change my mind. I never +expect to marry again." + +"But how can you get along, I want to know?" he demanded, angrily. "It +takes money to live, and you will see the children you love suffer." + +"There is one resource still left," she told him, as though urged to +put him to the test. "It lies in those shares of oil stock which you +are holding for me. They have become very valuable, and when I dispose +of them I hope to have enough and to spare for all future needs." + +There was a brief and awkward silence. + +"But what evidence is there," he finally asked icily, "that you ever +placed any shares of stock in my hand, or even so, that they were not +delivered to you again? Of course you can show my name at the bottom +of a receipt if that is the fact?" + +"Is that absolutely necessary, Mr. Culpepper?" she asked, helplessly. + +"It is strictly business, madam," the visitor went on, in his cold, +cutting tones that were like the rasping of a file. "I could not think +of handing over anything of value that was in my possession without +receiving in return a receipt." + +"But you would not be so cruel as to deprive my children of their bread +simply because of a little technicality, sir? I will do anything the +law demands to insure that you are not held liable whether the lost +receipt is ever found again or not." + +"There is only one thing you can do," continued Mr. Culpepper, eagerly, +"that will cause me to waive my rights, and you know what that is. +Those are my only terms of surrender." + +"That's just where you're a whole lot mistaken Mr. Culpepper!" cried +Carl, unable to hold in any longer, and thrusting his head and +shoulders through the open window as he spoke. + +The widow gave a slight shriek, while Mr. Culpepper said something half +under his breath that no doubt expressed his feelings. + +"What do you mean by saying that?" he asked, in a voice that was +unsteady. + +"You made a statement that you'll have to take water on," Carl told him +with a broad smile on his face. "Listen! My mother will be down at +your office to-morrow morning with Judge Beatty and myself, and she'll +demand that you deliver the paper that this receipt calls for!" + +With that he held up the precious little paper so that those in the +sitting room could see it. Mrs. Oskamp gave a bubbling cry of joy, +while Amasa Culpepper, seizing his hat and stick, hurried out of the +door, entered his buggy and whipped his horse savagely, as though glad +to vent his ill humor on some animate object. + +Carl was not another moment in climbing through the open window and +gathering his mother in his strong arms. The whole story was told that +evening with the younger children gathered around. Mrs. Oskamp sat +there and felt her mother heart glow with pride as she heard how Carl +had played his part in the exciting drama connected with the hike of +the Boy Scouts. + +"It seems as though some power over which you had no control must have +led you on to the glorious success that came in the end," she told the +happy Carl, after everything had been narrated. "With that paper in our +hands we can have no further trouble in securing our property. But I +shall feel that we owe something to Dock Phillips, and that it can only +be repaid through kindness to his mother." + +On the following day they took Judge Beatty, who was an old friend of +Carl's father, into their confidence, and the certificate of stock was +promptly though grudgingly delivered to them on demand. + +Amasa Culpepper knew that he had been fairly beaten in the game, and he +annoyed Mrs. Oskamp no longer. + +The oil shares turned out to be worth a large sum of money, and it +placed the Oskamps beyond the reach of want. + +Tom Chesney wrote his account of their great trip over big Bear +Mountain, and, sure enough it did take the prize when submitted in +competition with numerous others to the magazine that had made the +offer. Tom remembered his promise and sent copies of the story to Mr. +Clark, as well as to Mr. Henderson. + +The last heard from Lenox the Boy Scouts were thriving famously. They +expected to enjoy many an outing under the charge of the good-hearted +scout master, Mr. Witherspoon, but some of the boys were of the opinion +that there never could be just such a wonderful series of exciting +adventures befall them as had accompanied the hike over Big Bear +Mountain. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOY SCOUTS OF LENOX*** + + +******* This file should be named 21842.txt or 21842.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/8/4/21842 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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