CHAPTER XI.
AT MCGRAW's LUMBER CAMP.
No one said anything immediately.
Although every scout had been showing more or less signs of impatience, and was wishing that they would soon come upon the fugitive who had kidnaped the sweet child of Mrs. Gruber, now that the critical moment seemed near at hand they found themselves attacked with a queer little case of shivers.
Had Elmer's opinion been asked as to what this meant, he might have compared it to the "buck fever" that usually assails a greenhorn on the occasion of his getting his first chance to shoot a deer. It was sheer nervousness, that was all.
All eyes were turned upon the leader as though they looked to him to say just what was next on their program.
"I want you to settle down here and wait for me," he remarked, quietly.
"Does that mean you're going to creep forward and try and glimpse the camp of the enemy?" asked Mark, regretfully; for he would have liked to share this duty with his chum, if possible.
"Yes," replied the other. "From signs I've been noticing along the way lately, I've got a hunch that we're close to that old logging camp I've heard tell of ever since I came to Hickory Ridge. You know it's been deserted now for some ten years because all the big timber was cut that could be moved to the river. Most of this around here is second growth, though a few big trees were left as being crooked or something else."
"You must mean McGraw's Camp!" remarked Mark.
"That was what they used to call it in the old days; and in those times these woods saw some lively goings-on, I understand," Elmer continued.
"I should just say they did," remarked Red. "I've heard my father tell of the awful fights that used to happen every winter up here."
"Say, I was up at McGraw's Camp once about three years ago," broke in Toby. "My folks were out driving and we got lost, bringin' up in the camp. Why, we even had to spend a whole night there, gettin' out the next day. Whee! wasn't ma scared, though? She thought we was all going to be devoured by panthers and bears. Dad, he had to sit up all night in the shanty, keep a fire goin' and guard the door. Every little while she'd pop up and look 'round, like she'd been dreamin' a whole army of wildcats and other varmints had come down the chimbly flue."
"Perhaps your knowledge of the camp may come in handy for us, if we have to use strategy to capture Dolph," suggested Elmer; and immediately Toby swelled out his chest as though he felt that he must henceforth assume great importance in the carrying out of the plan of campaign.
"Now, don't anybody move while I'm gone, remember," said Elmer, in a general way, but with his eye fixed particularly upon Matt Tubbs.
"Nixy for me, Elmer," remarked that worthy, in a low, husky tone. "I'm goin' to lay right here and wait till you come back; that's me."
"And perhaps it might be ath well, Matt, if you allowed me to thee those elbows of yours while we're waiting," said Dr. Ted, officiously edging closer to his prospective patient. "It happens, you thee, that I've got thome excellent thalve along with me. Brought it, not knowing what might happen on a hike. It'll be a good thing, and take thome of the pain out; besides, it's just great to thstart wounds to healing."
"Get busy then, Doc," grinned Matt, peeling off his torn coat, and rolling up both his sleeves.
The act disclosed the badly lacerated elbows; indeed so painful did they appear that some of the scouts could not keep from uttering exclamations of dismay; but Matt was made of stern stuff, and at least affected to look at his wounds with indifference.
Dr. Ted started to work and made considerable of an impression on the rough bully of Fairfield, while he was softly rubbing the ointment on, and then insisting on wrapping a piece of linen, which he pulled out from one of his pockets, around each elbow to keep the wound clean, he said, though Matt declared he wanted his arms free for immediate service.
"There, don't that feel much better?" demanded Ted, when he had completed his job; and Matt drew the sleeves of his torn shirt down again.
"Right you are, Ted; and I'm 'bliged to you. Ain't nawthin' that bothers a feller more'n a skinned elbow, I reckon; and I've had lots of 'em."
"I've heard of one thing that beats a skinned elbow," declared Red.
"I'd like to know," remarked Matt, looking up from under his heavy brows inquiringly at the speaker.
"Why, two skinned elbows, I guess!" chuckled Red, at which the other only grinned as if able to take a joke.
Meanwhile Elmer had made his way cautiously along in the direction of where he believed, from certain signs, he would come upon the deserted old lumber camp.
Although he had not mentioned the fact to his comrades, Elmer was positive that he had smelled wood smoke in the air; and as the gentle breeze happened to be blowing directly in their faces, he knew from this that there must be some kind of fire near by.
This had been the principal thing that caused him to bring the expedition to a halt, while he skirmished ahead, to see what lay there.
Inside of five minutes after quitting the company of his fellow scouts, Elmer had his first glimpse of the old collection of shanties known by the name of McGraw's Camp.
After that he became even more cautious in advancing closer. Not that he fancied Dolph Gruber would be apt to be very much on the alert; for he did not look upon the man as versed to any extent in the ways of the woods, but just on general principles.
He was within sixty feet of the largest building, which had doubtless served as a lodging place for the dozen rough loggers employed here long ago, during several winters, when all at once Elmer froze in his tracks.
A man had come out of the building and proceeded toward a fire that was smouldering close by. Fortunately he did not happen to notice the boy, though Elmer saw him sweep his eyes around in a careless way.
Although the boy had no acquaintance with Dolph Gruber, he had heard the man described so often that he knew immediately this could not be the same party. Gruber was tall and rather thin, whereas this fellow was both short and fat.
"A hobo, or a yeggman," was what flashed though the mind of the lad, as he dropped flat behind some friendly bushes where he could conceal himself, and at the same time observe all that went on.
The fellow had all the ear-marks of a genuine tramp. Moreover, he looked ugly, as if he might prove a hard customer, should he be assailed by the scouts.
"Getting breakfast," thought Elmer, as he noted how the man started the fire up again; and then after it was blazing cheerily began to put on a frying pan which must contain some sort of meat.
"Hello! another of the same breed!" the boy whispered to himself a short time later, as a second fellow shambled from the long log cabin, and carrying in his hand some sort of tomato can which might contain coffee.
"They keep late hours, all right," chuckled Elmer, noting these preparations for a meal; "or else they're getting this stuff ready for Dolph. That sounds more likely; and it looks as if he knew these fellows were here when he headed this way."
The presence of these two "Weary Willies" on the scene promised to complicate things more than a little. Three husky looking men instead of only one meant that the scouts would have to be pretty smart if they hoped to outwit the trio.
Still, Elmer had little fear of the result. He knew that with a baker's dozen of good fellows at his back, he ought to be able to come out ahead. But then, if his partly formed plans came out decently there would be no need of a rumpus, for the rescue of little Ruth might be effected through strategy, just as he had told the warlike Matt Tubbs.
Now and then he would glance toward the big cabin. Doubtless Dolph and the girl were inside that; and he wished he could find a way to creep up, so as to peep in through one of the openings. If he were absolutely sure that the two tramps would remain where they were, and not come prowling around to the rear, Elmer might have taken the chances of such a move.
But there was really no need. Whatever it was the men were cooking over the fire, it seemed to take but a short time; for the fat tramp presently waddled off to the door of the cabin, thrust his head inside, and bawled out something.
And presently a man came out. He was leading a little girl with golden hair, undoubtedly Ruth Tubbs. Elmer saw immediately that she had been sobbing, for she put her small hands to her face as if to rub away the tears. And he gritted his teeth when he saw the man shake her savagely, heard him growl some sort of a threat as to what he would do if she didn't stop crying.
He made her sit down near the fire on a log. Then he gave her something to eat on a piece of birch bark, which one of the tramps had stripped, fresh and clean, from a near-by tree.
At first the girl did not seem to want to eat, but upon being threatened again by the brute, she made a pretense of doing so, though it could be plainly seen that grief for her mother was taking away any appetite she might have had.
Elmer had seen enough from that side of the camp. If he could only withdraw now, he wanted to move around so as to come upon the place from the opposite side, and after that he could shape his plans of action.
But was it safe to try and creep away while those three fellows were so close to him? Should some movement on his part attract the attention of either one of the ugly looking tramps, who often looked that way, an investigation would be next in order. And while Elmer did not much doubt but that he could easily give them the slip, as he was a good runner, his presence there, acting in such a suspicious manner, would alarm the trio of tough characters, so that they would be put on their guard and flee, or else shut themselves up in the log cabin and laugh at all the puny efforts of the scouts to get at them.
So he was very cautious as he began to slowly push back. Inch at a time he moved, save when very sure of his cover. All the while he kept a vigilant watch over the parties in the open spot.
Once Elmer's heart seemed to be almost in his mouth. This was when the fatter one of the two suddenly craned his neck in an attitude of scrutiny, as though he fancied he had seen something moving off there in the underbrush.
Of course, if he made the first move as though bent on an investigation, Elmer meant to spring boldly to his feet and run for it, possibly in a direction away from the spot where he had left his comrades.
But the man did not even get up from his seat. Judging from his looks, Elmer decided that he must be a lazy sort of fellow. And then again, why should the tramp entertain the least suspicion that any human being could be loitering around the old McGraw Camp, so far removed from the railroad, and even the dirt roads leading to main thoroughfares?
When things seemed all quiet again, Elmer continued his wriggling movements, and presently arrived at a point where he could make better progress, as the cover was heavier.
At length he made a detour, approached the cabin again, and scanned its immediate surroundings. Satisfied with what he had learned, he proceeded to find the impatient scouts, from whom he had been absent now almost an hour.
They were in a state of mind approaching insurrection. Of course all manner of dreadful things were suggested under their breath, as the boys huddled together. Every slight sound made them start and look hurriedly around. When a gray squirrel dropped a nut it seemed as though a gun had gone off; and later on when he himself frisked around a neighboring tree butt in search of a further supply, Landy Smith could hardly keep from crying out, his nerves being all on edge with the strain.
Chatz had looked at his watch for the twentieth time, and murmurs were beginning to rise all along the line, when suddenly keen-eyed Mark exclaimed:
"I saw something move right then, fellows; there it is again. It's Elmer, all right; and he looks as though he might have discovered something of importance!"
"Bully! bully!" chuckled Ty Collins; "now we'll get into action, I guess!"