RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL
If Paul could have had his own way just then he would have been in favor of allowing Scissors a chance to make his escape. But he had a pair of impetuous comrades along; and aroused by the excitement of the occasion neither William nor Bobolink thought of consulting his wishes.
No sooner was the lamp lighted than they sprang forward toward the heaving heap of blankets and folded tents, where the alarmed intruder was trying to emerge from the avalanche he had brought down upon himself.
Some of the good brethren of the congregation might have felt inclined to hold up their hands in dismay could they have looked in there just at that moment, and seen all the weird goings-on that were taking place. Still, an investigation would have proven that the scouts were not responsible for the scrimmage; since they had a perfect right to protect their possessions against attack.
No sooner had Scissors managed to emerge
from the great heap of camp things than he was set upon by a couple of energetic scouts. He dodged most of the blows, aimed with such good will, though a few landed, and forced groans from the unhappy recipient.
To tell the truth, the expression of terror was so strong on the face of the caged Tiger that neither of his assailants could get much force in their strokes, so full of laughter had they become.
Paul himself walked over to unlock the door, wishing to end the ridiculous and unequal performance as soon as possible. And in so doing he happened to leave that single lighted lamp unguarded for just a minute.
It proved doubly unfortunate, though no one could have possibly foreseen the catastrophe which came upon them so suddenly.
Scissors, in trying to avoid further punishment, had taken to running back and forth. He ducked whenever he believed one of those threatening clubs was about to descend upon his head, whirling to the right, and then to the left, almost wild at the prospect of being at the mercy of such seemingly savage enemies.
He was too excited to understand that if he had only thrown up his hands, and called out that he surrendered not another blow would have fallen. Nor could he guess that the ferocious aspect
of these assailants was but a mask assumed to hide the huge grins that struggled for mastery on their faces.
In making a last desperate plunge to escape William the fugitive happened to collide with a pair of oars that stood up against the wall in what was believed to be a secure place.
One thing followed another, just as a line of bricks standing on end will bow to the fall of the leading one. Scissors struck the oars and they in turn crashed against that single lighted lamp, knocking it from its cup!
"Oh!" exclaimed William, pausing in sudden horror, as he saw the lamp go down.
There was a crash, and a shriek from Scissors, who had tripped, and plunged headlong. Paul saw a blaze of light; and he knew that the lamp had broken, depositing its dangerous fluid all around. Kerosene in these days is not the same deadly explosive it used to be in other times; still, it will catch fire under certain conditions; and he saw that unless prompt measures were taken the church was doomed!
"Be prepared!"
That scout motto never had a better chance of being lived up to than just at that critical moment, when the oil from the broken lamp began to take fire in various places.
Paul jumped like a flash toward the pile of
blankets, and snatched up several in his hands. Nor was Jack an instant behind him, only he happened to seize upon a tent in the excitement of the moment, when there was certainly no time to change.
Regardless of any injury to the articles they were wielding, both lads swung at the flames, and beat them furiously. Such prompt action was sure to meet with its reward, for it would have to be a pretty hot little conflagration that could stand against such energetic work.
But Scissors was calling out, and beating frantically at his garments, which seemed to be afire in half a dozen places. It was then that William, who had just a brief time before been pursuing the imperiled lad with seeming vindictiveness, proved that there was little of venom in his heart.
He had dropped his club at the very instant of the accident, and seeing what Paul and Jack were doing, had hurried over also to possess himself of a blanket. Instead of whipping this at the creeping flames which the others promised to take good care of, William turned his attention to the excited Scissors, who was losing in his fight against the hungry fire that had seized upon his oil-soaked garments.
And right then and there did the lessons taught to these scouts come home to William. Not for
nothing had he learned what to do in case of a sudden emergency, whether by water or fire.
Over the head of Scissors he threw that blanket, and then seized the other in a bear-like hug.
"Keep still!" William was calling, as he hung on grimly; "quit your kicking, you silly! It's all right, and no great damage done!"
But as Scissors, being blinded by the blanket, could not see that Paul and his chum had beaten the fire out, and in imagination he felt it still eating into his tender skin, he continued to struggle and try to shout, although his voice sounded very faint in the compress.
Paul found another lamp as soon as darkness had fallen on the gymnasium, and with trembling hands managed to light it. Then the four friends looked at each other, and tried to smile; but it was a poor job. Their faces were as white as parchment, and yet each one at that moment was probably uttering sincere thanks deep down in his heart that the accident had been no worse.
William had removed the blanket from around Scissors by this time, and the prisoner was sitting down on the floor, examining several sore spots on his hands and legs, where the fire had touched the cuticle.
"Say, did you ever see such a hot time?" gasped Bobolink, presently, as he recovered his lost breath in part; for he had been kicking at
the fire just as vigorously as the others slapped at it with the blanket or tent.
Paul shook his head. He could hardly realize what a fearfully narrow escape the fine old church had had. A very little delay in attacking the flames would have allowed them to get such headway that no effort on their part could have won out. And perhaps that would have dealt a crushing blow to the Boy Scouts in Stanhope.
"Is it going to look bad?" asked William, possibly with something of this idea surging through his head just then.
"That's what I'm anxious about. Who'd ever dream that that lamp could be knocked down and broken. Good it wasn't gasoline, or nothing could have saved the building," and Paul got down on his hands and knees, the better to see.
"Well, what d'ye make of it?" asked Jack, as the scout leader once more arose.
"When we clean up around here there won't be much to show for it, except a singed blanket or two, and some marks on that tent. Boys, we ought to be mighty thankful it came out so well," replied Paul, soberly.
In imagination he saw the old church, which was beloved by so many good people of Stanhope, a heap of ashes; and the mere thought sent a shiver through him.
William pointed to Scissors, who was groan
ing as he sat there on the floor. All feeling of animosity was now driven from even the hearts of William and Bobolink. Indeed, it must have been sympathy that caused the former to bend down over the grunting lad.
"Guess you're not burnt badly, Scissors," William said softly; "smarts some, of course, but rub the black off, an' it looks only a little red. Here, Paul, ain't we got something in our medicine chest good for burns? Seems to me you carried that, and used it more'n once when a fellow got too near the camp-fire."
"Why, to be sure we have, and I'll get it right away," declared Paul, as he started a search for the article in question.
Such was the confusion following the upsetting of the heap of material that it proved a serious task finding the medicine chest, which, up to now had contained all their simple remedies. Paul had arranged additions, with which he expected to complete the stock in preparation for their big tour.
Seeing what was in progress both Jack and Bobolink lent their assistance; and the dismal groans of Scissors kept urging them on to greater exertions.
"Here it is!" called Jack, presently, as he overturned some of the blankets once more, and fished out the little case.
"Hurrah! you're all to the good, Jack!" declared Bobolink, with his customary vigor of speech.
Paul quickly opened the case, and produced a little box containing a cooling salve his father had given him. It acted in a magical manner with ordinary burns, and the boys had particularly requested that he be sure and bring another supply for use on the tour; since burns were apt to be the portion of those who had much to do with preparing the food cooked over a camp-fire.
Paul set to work rubbing some of the salve upon every spot Scissors indicated as needing attention. He found a wonderfully large collection, for just then it probably seemed good policy for Scissors to act as though seriously injured, lest the others take it into their heads to kick him out of the place.
"I guess that ought to do, Scissors," said Paul, when he had almost used up the entire contents of the box on the other's arms and legs.
"Feels some better, don't it?" asked Jack, anxiously, for once upon a time he and the caged Tiger had been next-door neighbors, and were accustomed to going together.
"Y—es, some; but I reckon I'll be pretty sore to-morrow, boys. Aint you going to turn me loose now?" asked Scissors, looking up out of the corner of his eye at Paul.
Then as though he feared he saw something hostile in the manner of the other, he commenced grunting dismally again, and writhing as if in pain.
"Why, of course you can go, Scissors," observed Paul, "I'm sure you've got your medicine more than Bud did his. If you can walk, come right along to the door. I was opening it when you banged into those oars, and upset the lamp. Here you are; good-night, Scissors!"
The boy limped grievously as he headed for the door. He kept one eye on William, and Paul really believed that if the Carberry Twin had made a movement as though about to pick up that padded instrument of torture again the apparently lame Tiger would have developed a surprising burst of speed, and fairly shot out of that exit.
So they saw him go stumbling up the few steps that led to the level. Then Paul once more shut and secured the door.
The four chums looked at each other, but no one laughed. Though there had been plenty of humor about the affair, on their side, still that closing scene in the little drama had sent a thrill of horror through them. They realized that, after all, they had been close to a catastrophe.
"First of all let's get this room straightened up, boys," said Paul, as he started folding some of the disarranged blankets.
Four pairs of hands make light work, and after a little there was a new heap of the camp material, on another section of the floor. After that they endeavored to remove all traces of the brief fire, and in this they were fortunate, for having completed their labors it would be difficult to detect any signs of that sudden though terrifying flash in the pan.
"Now for the ashpit, fellows," sang out William, finally. "Me to swing the broom, after some water has been sprinkled. We're going to get there yet, all right; but oh! my, what a time it's been! Will I ever forget it?"
"This is what I'd call heaping coals of fire on the heads of your enemies!" ventured Bobolink; as he, too, hunted for a broom in the furnace room, and prepared to assist in the work of cleaning up the mess.
Paul sprinkled first, while Jack started to place those cans which had not been upset, in a row. For a short time there was an industrious quartette engaged in the labor of reconstruction. When Paul finally gave the signal to knock off work the furnace room really looked much better than old Peter was in the habit of keeping it.
After that the boys sought the faucet where running water could be had; soap and towels were forthcoming from the stores, and they cleaned themselves up.
Then preparations were made, looking to an all-night vigil, during which by turns one of their number was expected to stand guard at two hour stretches; though none of them had the least fear that the enemy, routed so thoroughly, would return.