CHAPTER XIII.
RED PLAYS THE PART OF THE CRAFTY FOX.
When the acting scout-master thus asked the recognized bully of Fairfield to accompany him, he had several good reasons for the step, strange as it might seem to Mark and the others, who fancied that possibly Matt should be posted at some distance where he was likely to do no harm.
But Elmer preferred to have him under his own eye. Moreover, the scheme upon which he was embarked was tinged with more or less danger; and Matt was a husky chap, capable of giving a good account of himself.
But then Matt Tubbs was not the only one who accompanied the leader. Elmer had chosen to take with him Ted, Lil Artha, Toby, Mark, Landy and Tom Cropsey. This left five others, and they were also divided into two detachments, one consisting of Matty, Phil, Chatz, Ty; while Red Huggins made up the other all by himself.
As to the plan of campaign, it might be well to explain what Elmer had fashioned in his mind, as justifying their efforts.
He had noticed, when spying around the further end of the long log cabin, an odd tunnel underneath the walls. This, no doubt, had been made by some woodchuck or other animal, desirous of finding a snug winter home.
Elmer fully believed that the passage was amply large enough to allow a boy to crawl through. And as it was apparently situated at that end of the building least likely to be used by the tramps, he expected that he and his mates would be able to creep in without being discovered.
Supposing his expectations were fulfilled; then the second detachment was to hide as near the door of the cabin as they could. Finally, Red, at some little distance, was to play his part in the game.
Red had always been known as a most adroit "fox" in the games the lads of Hickory Ridge played. Once he started out to elude those hounds set upon his track, none had ever been successful in overtaking him. His methods of dodging and doubling on his track were famous throughout all the region, and in selecting him for the part of fox Elmer knew just what to expect.
Red was to "toll" the tramps out of the cabin and lose them somewhere in the depths of the woods. Meanwhile, with perhaps a clear field before them, Elmer and his scouts could easily accomplish the balance of the affair.
Of course there was always the question as to whether it would work.
Following the lead of the scout master, the little squad of boys slipped around so as to come upon the long cabin from the rear. Everything seemed peaceful. No one was in sight, the men having apparently stepped inside again after Dolph and little Ruth had been fed.
This was as it should be, and Elmer had indeed figured on it when laying his plans. In single file they approached as near as was deemed safe; then, at a signal from the leader, the scouts dropped flat behind some bushes. From this point on, their progress must be much slower, since they would have to do considerable crawling.
Before making a move, however, Elmer gave the signal that was to start the other detachments. This, as agreed on, consisted of the harsh cry of the bluejay, and which in the still air of the woods could be easily heard for a long distance.
After that things were to happen in regulation order. Elmer had calculated just how long it might take his band to obtain entrance to the cabin; also for the other detachment to find a hiding place near by. Red was scheduled to commence operations just half an hour after he heard the bluejay cry three times. And to make sure, he carried the nickel watch of Chatz with him.
"Come on, fellows, and be careful, every one," was the low whisper which Elmer allowed to float back over his shoulder.
Having been over the ground once before, and with his customary sagacity memorized every little point that could be used to advantage, Elmer was not in the least dismayed at certain obstacles that from time to time had to be surmounted.
Ten minutes after the signal had been given he led his line of creeping scouts up to the further end of the long, low cabin. And so far as they knew no hostile eye had taken note of their coming.
The tunnel was close at hand. Its smooth walls told of the many times the animal responsible for its presence had crept in and out. And Elmer noted with considerable satisfaction that his former conception of its capacity had not been amiss. Yes, even the stoutest of the scouts could pass through, with a little assistance.
Even here the shrewdness of the young scout-master showed itself. He had arranged his schedule so that this individual, who chanced to be Landy, always known as a fat youth, though fond of all outdoor sports, should come last. This, it may be noted in passing, was done so that in case he did stick in the tunnel he might not block the passage of others whose presence was vital to the success of the plan.
Elmer never forgot anything he heard or read, and it happened that not so very long before he had been interested in an account of the escape from Libby Prison of a large number of Union prisoners during the dark days of the Civil War, and vividly remembered how there might have been many more follow the same route only that an ambitious fat man closed the passage, since he could neither go on nor return.
Of course it was the intention of the scout-master himself to lead the way. He could not think of delegating that important function to any one else. And Lil Artha was to follow at his heels, to be succeeded by others, Matt Tubbs coming just before Landy, on account of his size.
Lying on his back, Elmer started in head first. This he did because the tunnel performed a quick curve upward, after once passing under the lower log; and as most boys are not as supple as gymnasts and contortionists, and cannot bend backward the same as forward, he knew this was the only way of passing through.
Using his heels to help propel his body forward, and being gently assisted by little pushes from his mates, Elmer readily went through the ceremony of imitating the woodchuck that had used the hole during the past winter.
As he raised his head above the level of the earthen floor he took a quick observation. The boys outside gave an inclination of continuing the pushing movement, so that it became necessary for him to kick in a way they would understand meant a temporary halt.
It was not very light inside the long cabin, because there were only a few openings that had served as windows, and even some of these had become clogged with stray rubbish in the years that elapsed since the logging camp knew life and bustle.
After a brief interval, however, Elmer was able to see fairly well. Just as he had anticipated, those who now occupied the place were down near the door at the other end.
First of all he made out that the three men and one little girl comprised the entire list of occupants. This pleased him, because as yet he had not been positive on this point; and if it proved that there were half a dozen tough characters assembled under the roof of the log bunk-cabin, the work which the scouts had laid out for themselves must have been considerably extended.
Ruth was by herself. She had eaten at the command of her stepfather, but not with any heart in the matter, and now she was huddled in a little bunch, possibly crying under her breath, for she did not dare do anything more to anger the man she feared.
The three men were sprawled out in some of the old bunks. A bundle of dried grass made a fair mattress for fellows unused to anything better, and they seemed quite satisfied with their surroundings.
Elmer knew that he must not linger too long. Behind him were seven impatient fellows, all anxious to do that great crawling stunt. So he once more got in motion and wriggled himself into the cabin.
Luckily the tall, thin tramp whom Elmer mentally called Skinny, even as Fatty covered the stout, happy-go-lucky chap, had a voice like a fog-horn; and a laugh that was as raspy as a file; so that when he got going there was little chance of any slight sound from the end of the long cabin being noticed.
And as the squirrels ran haphazard all over the roof of the building, any such sound would of necessity be attributed to them, for such a thing as a hostile force penetrating this far into the timber would never strike any of the men as possible.
A touch on the arm presently warned Elmer that the first of his followers had wormed his way through that crooked passage. Trust the angular Lil Artha for being able to navigate a zigzag tunnel with greatest ease. No doubt he slipped in and out with almost the handiness with which one might crack a whip.
Then came Toby, Mark and Tom. After that there was a slight hitch, as though perhaps Matt Tubbs might be having a little difficulty; but they could hear faint scratching sounds from the tunnel that proved he was coming along. As for Landy, it did not matter materially whether he arrived or not, so long as he did nothing to alarm the enemy.
Everything was apparently working just as Elmer, like a wise general, had figured on. The three men still continued to talk and argue, being worked up over some sort of proposition that Dolph seemed to be putting before the others.
Several words that came to the ears of Elmer from time to time convinced him that Dolph Gruber was fully as bad a man as he had suspected, for there could be no doubt but that he was now actually planning to lead his reckless companions on a raid of some sort, looking to robbery as a reward of their enterprise.
It must be getting on toward the time appointed when Red was expected to take up his part of the game.
Landy had not yet arrived, but he was heroically endeavoring to join his comrades. Indeed, during a temporary lull in the conversation of the trio of men at the other end of the cabin, Elmer could hear a gasping sound from the tunnel that alarmed him not a little, lest it attract the attention of the plotters, and lead to a search calculated to upset all their well-laid plans.
So he immediately pushed down into the mouth of the tunnel, and groping around until he came in contact with the clawing hands of the stout boy, began to gently but firmly drag him through.
It was a tight fit, but luckily Landy made it, though only for the assistance Elmer gave him he must have stuck there ingloriously until the end of the affair, and thus been unable to assume his proper share in the rescue of little Ruth.
All were now on hand, Landy panting in a way that made Lil Artha dig his elbow into his ribs as a warning that he was making altogether too much noise.
"Why don't Red start his bazoo?" whispered that long-legged worthy in Elmer's ear, as he lay flattened out on the ground in the gloomy far-end part of the loggers' bunk-house.
"Never fear, you can count on Red to do his part," was what the scout master managed to convey in the same sort of careful whisper; and fearful lest Arthur, who was known to be rather talkative, get fairly started, when it was most unwise to indulge in any conversation with those enemies so close by, Elmer gave a gentle "'sh!" to signify that silence just then was golden.
The impatient ones were counting the seconds, and wondering how they could ever hold out much longer. Elmer kept watching the three men, knowing that through their actions at least he could readily tell when the expected break had come.
Ruth still had her face hidden in her dress, and was doubtless filled with grief because of this cruel enforced separation from her own mother.
And as he thus waited, his heart beating faster than its wont, Elmer caught a faint cry. It came from some distance off, and seemed to be filled with the utmost distress.
"Help! oh! help!"
The time limit having expired, that was Red getting in his work as the crafty fox attempting to coax the hounds on a false scent.
The three men had started up. They were looking at each other, as though hardly knowing what to make of it. To hear a call for assistance in this lonely vicinity was certainly enough to bewilder, yes, and perhaps to alarm anyone; especially men whose past had been so very shady that they suspected everything which they could not fully understand.