CHAPTER IX.
REASONING THAT LOOKED LIKE MAGIC.
The two new scouts, Landy Smith and Phil Dale, watched every action of Elmer with wonder and the deepest interest.
"I never knew before there was so much in this business," the former kept declaring to Matty, who chanced to keep near him. "Why, he doesn't seem to have any great trouble finding where Dolph went along, and yet for the life of me I can't see a blessed sign of a footprint."
"Well," laughed Matty, "for that matter neither can some of the rest of us, but we're keen to learn; and I know I'm picking up new points all the time. You see Elmer lived away out in the Canadian Great West, where he mixed up with cowboys, hunters and all such chaps. That's where he learned lots of things that just fit in the scouting line like pie."
"What's he going to do now?" demanded Landy, seeing their leader coming to a sudden halt, and waving for the others to approach.
"He wants to show us something," replied Matty. "You see, Elmer is anxious that every member of the troop, whether he belongs to the Wolf Patrol, the Beaver, or the new Eagle that is being formed, shall be as well posted in woodcraft as he is himself. So even while we're following up this trail, bent on business, he finds interesting things now and then to explain to us."
As the entire group of scouts gathered around where the leader bent over the ground, Elmer pointed downward, saying:
"Here's something, fellows, that I thought you ought to take note of. It may be of considerable benefit to you at some time or other, when perhaps you're passing through a test of trail following. I suppose every one of you can see this plain track of Dolph's shoe here?"
"Sure!" replied a number of the boys, readily enough; for evidently Elmer had picked out a particularly prominent impression when starting in to paint his little lesson.
"I'm going to hazard the declaration that this track was made about seven this morning; that at the time Dolph was carrying the little girl in his arms, and probably holding his hand over her mouth in order to prevent her crying out loud so as to attract attention."
"Well, I declare, that's a whole heap to say, Elmer," remarked Toby; although the expression on his face was rather that of eagerness to hear more, than doubt concerning the ability of Elmer to make good his assertion.
As for the two new scouts, they were beyond saying anything, but could only gasp and exchange looks.
"Now, you are wondering how I know those three things," Elmer went on. "And perhaps some of you are thinking that I asked Mrs. Gruber what time it was when Dolph came home, and acted like a brute. But I didn't; and only know, like the rest of you, that it was some time this morning. But I happened to remember that there was a queer little shower early this morning. It stopped as suddenly as it began. All the way up to here I could see signs of water in the tracks, but you notice there are none in these footprints now. That shower quit at five minutes to seven in Hickory Ridge. Making allowance for the difference in distance, I reckon Dolph was right here when it let up, say at even seven."
"Gee! that's going some!" muttered Landy, who was listening with rapt attention.
"Now, about his carrying the girl—that's easy. The soil is so soft right here, that it would show even the small print of her shoes. I saw them just back yonder, where we passed the big oak tree, but there's never a sign here. It stands to reason Dolph wouldn't turn the child loose; and so he must have picked her up."
"Because she was getting worn out, do you think, Elmer?" asked Mark.
"Well, that may have been the cause; and yet, perhaps, he had another reason, which brings me to the third statement I made. He was holding his hand over her mouth! I'm only making a bold stab at that, fellows, and if you pay attention I'll try to explain on what I base my views."
"Sure we will, Elmer; you've got us all tuned up to top notch," remarked Red.
"And as for me," said Landy, helplessly, "I'm in a fog, drifting about, and not knowing where I'll land. For the life of me I can't see how you figure out such wonderful things, Elmer."
"Listen, then," went on the acting scout master, "up to near here the trail led along in a direct track. I could see that Dolph was following some line he had no doubt marked out for himself. Then suddenly he had darted aside. That was where he grabbed up the child, if the tracks stood for anything. Do you see where he began to move along so as to keep this fringe of bushes in front? All right. Mark, you walk over to that big clump, and tell me if there isn't plain marks there showing where Dolph knelt down. You can't mistake the impression of his knees, and where the toes of his shoes dug into the soil two feet below."
Mark thereupon hastened to obey, while the balance of the scouts awaited his report with mingled feelings of anxiety and hope.
They saw him bend over as though keenly observing.
Then Mark straightened up. His face was smiling, as he called out triumphantly:
"By all that's wonderful they're here, just as you said they would be, Elmer. I know a man knelt down as well as if I saw him. And wait, here's the tracks of little shoes again, just beside him."
"I supposed you would find her trail there," resumed Elmer, quietly, "because it stood to reason that as Dolph crouched down behind the bushes he would drop her on the ground; all the while, remember, possibly holding his hand over Ruth's little mouth to keep her from betraying him."
"If that don't beat the Dutch!" ejaculated Landy. "Do you mean to tell me you read all that just from the signs? After this I'll believe anything. Why, a fellow'd think you'd been right on the spot, and actually watched Dolph."
"But see here, Elmer," spoke up Red Huggins, perhaps thinking to get the leader in a hole, or else honestly seeking further enlightenment; "what ever made Dolph act in that silly way? Do you think he was going out of his head, and believin' the police were hot on his trail?"
Elmer smiled.
"I've been thinking of that, Red," he remarked, "and come to this conclusion. He must have heard voices, or else caught the sound of wheels over in that direction, for you see that he dropped down behind the bushes on the east side, showing the danger must have been to the west!"
All of the boys turned and stared in that quarter.
"Matty," said Elmer, "while the rest of us stay right here, suppose you start off directly west of this. Don't go out of sight; and unless my theory is all wrong you won't have to. Because I'll be mighty much surprised if you don't run across a road pretty quick!"
Of course Matty Eggleston made the utmost haste to comply with the directions of his chief. As leader of the Beaver Patrol he was decidedly interested in everything that pertained to woodcraft, and the way in which Elmer was showing the wonders of the forest trailer's art captivated him.
The rest of the scouts stood there, all eyes following the form of their companion as he made his way between the trees, avoiding such bushes as impeded his forward movements.
Would he find that the supposition of the trail follower was correct? Was there a road so close to them, hidden by the thick undergrowth?
Suddenly Matty whirled around. He made a gesture that told of delight almost beyond his ability to express. And then they heard his shout.
"Here's your old road, Elmer, I declare if it ain't, just as you said!"
"Bully for Elmer!" exclaimed the impulsive Red.
"Say, you've been up in this region before, haven't you, Elmer?" asked Phil Dale, who seemed to be the "Doubting Thomas" of the little flock; for these were things so remarkable he must believe the scout-master knew beforehand, or else was playing a practical joke on his comrades.
"Never in all my life," replied Elmer, and Phil believed him; then elevating his voice the leader called out: "Go on, and get to the road, Matty. I want you to take a look, and tell me if you can see the marks of rubber tires there in the mud or dust."
A minute later and the other shouted back:
"Just as sure as you live, fellows, I've found the marks where a car rushed past. Must have gone at a pretty sharp clip, too, because it sent the mud flying from this little depression here."
"Let's get over there with Matty," remarked Elmer. "We can come back here afterward and take up the trail again."
Two minutes later and the scouts stood on the road. It was only a country road, and not a general thoroughfare. Few vehicles passed during the day, and apparently it must be a sort of connecting link between turnpikes that ran parallel.
"The car was going in the same direction we are headed," announced Elmer, after looking at the marks.
"Well, I'll be blessed if I can see how you found that out," declared Phil, as he shook his head and looked puzzled.
"Oh! nothing could be more simple," declared Elmer. "In a case of this kind all a scout has to do is to keep his wits about him, and look sharp. Now, just as Matty guessed that this car was hitting up a pretty good pace when it went past, because it threw the soft mud to some little distance when it dashed through this puddle, so I examine some of the splashes on the leaves here by the roadside. And as you see, fellows, they are, without a single exception, all on this one side of leaves and the trunks of these close-by trees. Do you get on now, Phil?"
"Well, I declare, you are a wonder, Elmer Chenowith!" exclaimed the other, as his face lighted up. "I used to think it was only guesswork, this reading tracks; but now I can see that it's all figured out just like you'd get an algebra problem in school. Given one thing, and the other must follow dead sure. Of course that car was going north! It couldn't be anything else, because these mud splashes are every one on the south side of the leaves and trees."
"Well, this has been an eye-opener to me, fellows!" declared Landy, earnestly. "And I give you fair notice right now that I'm going to know a heap more about this fine business before I've been long in the Beaver Patrol."
"I say, Elmer, do you mean to tell us this car which Dolph heard coming, and hid to escape being seen—that it was the one we saw start out for Cramertown?" asked Red.
"No, it couldn't have been, for a good many reasons. That car didn't leave the cottage of Mrs. Gruber till just before we did, and that was plumb nine. You remember, I think I proved by the rain token, that Dolph was here at seven. So it must have been another car entirely—perhaps some people going to Rockaway or Hickory Ridge, and in a hurry. But Dolph, hearing them coming, and being afraid by reason of his guilt, hid behind the bushes, and, I imagine, must have clapped a hand over little Ruth's mouth. If the men in the machine heard a child's cry they might want to jump out and investigate, and Dolph wasn't going to take any chances."
"All this is mighty interesting, Elmer," said Mark; "and we think you've proved every point you made. What comes next on the program?"
"Back to the trail, and keep right along. Sooner or later I expect we're going to run this scoundrel to earth and make a prisoner of him. But he's got several hours' start of us yet," Elmer replied, leaving the road that had told them so much, and aiming once more for the clump of bushes where the impression of Dolph's two knees could be so plainly seen.
"But unless he's a regular trotter he ain't going to keep on the go long," remarked Lil Artha, confidently.
"Not much," declared Ted Burgoyne. "You thee, he's got that little girl along, and it thtands to reason Ruth ith about played out right here. Tho, fellows, the chances are Dolph he'll have to just pick her up and carry her. And with thuch a load why he'll thoon get tired and camp. That's where we'll have the hunch on him."
"Yes," Elmer went on, "I quite agree with Ted there, and expect that before another hour at least we'll run on our game."
Once more, then, he led the way, with an interested and enthusiastic bunch of scouts trailing close at his heels.
Frequently there would arise little problems that had to be solved. Now it was an apparent absence of marks, showing that the ground had grown more rocky, and no footprint appeared. Then again, Dolph followed a worn trail, so that it was necessary to make sure he stuck to this.
Elmer was equal to each and every demand upon his knowledge. When none of the other boys could discover a sign of tracks, he pointed out to where a stone had been overturned since the little shower had passed; or it might be calling their attention to a broken twig, a bruised leaf that had been trodden on, or in various other ways proved his point, as was made clear when a little later they would again run upon the footprints left by Dolph.
They had now come quite some distance, and a few of the fellows were showing signs of wishing to rest up for a brief interval. Elmer himself could stand any amount of fatigue without giving way, but there were untrained muscles among the scouts; and after all it was not so vital that they rush things.
"Here, let's rest for ten minutes or so, fellows," he remarked, as they came to a little bluff about fifteen or twenty feet in height, at the foot of which the trail seemed to run.
The boys threw themselves down on the ground, some of them glad of the chance to recuperate without having to show the white feather. It was very thoughtful of the leader, to be sure, displaying this regard for their natural pride.
"He sure can't be a great ways from here, Elmer?" remarked Matty. "Seems to me the trail has been growing fresher lately."
"That's right, it has," replied the other, nodding his head. "One place I found where Dolph had rested, I don't know how long, but perhaps half an hour; for the child walked again after they started, as if refreshed by the stop."
"Then we're apt to run on them any old time now?" suggested Toby, eagerly.
"Just what we are," Elmer answered, as he kept his face turned upward toward the top of the little bluff overhead.
"What you looking at, Elmer?" demanded Red Huggins, half starting up.
"Just cast your eyes up where that clump of grass grows, fellows," the leader said, pointing his finger; "I thought I saw something moving there, and——"
What he meant to say remained unspoken, for just then a slice of the edge of the bluff suddenly gave way, and amid a mass of earth a human figure came rolling down the sharp incline!