SCOUTING IN EARNEST
"Hurry up, old molasses! Winter's coming."
"Hit up the pace, won't you, please, Bobby?"
Bobolink grinned. This was apparently just what he liked. When, however, he saw a restless movement among some of the more impatient, as though they were stooping down to gather chips to shy at him, he knew the time had come to open those sphinx-like lips, and speak.
"Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen," he began, when a roar interrupted him, so that he pretended to hastily remedy his error—"I mean just gentlemen; I have the honor to report that your committee waited on the brothers of the Aldine troop, though unbeknown to their keenest scouts, and watched the entire operations at their called meeting this morning."
"Good! Fine! Keep it up, Old Leatherstocking!"
"We learned that they are working like mad to excel in all the arts that interest the scouting fraternity. Competitions were being run off in every branch of the woodcraft business. We saw fires started, camps made, trails followed, boats mended, fish flies tied, rods that had been made by single members; we heard of all sorts of clever things that were being done in Aldine that would give the troop marks in the grand round-up. We listened to splendid speeches from the really efficient scout master, and our hearts warmed within us toward the gallant foe against whom we must soon be pitted; just as our bones ached because we had to squat there high up in that tree over their camp, like a couple of roosting monkeys."
"Hear! hear! Bully for our monkeys! They're all to the good!" shouted some of the more demonstrative boys, waving their hats wildly.
Bobolink stopped to give a few melancholy dabs at his thighs, just as though they still ached from the long service in the tree; while Bluff managed to emit a series of sympathetic groans.
Then the orator took up his theme again; and when Bobolink chose he could even run Wallace Carberry a warm race on the school rostrum.
"Some people might think that it was hardly fair in us to spy on our rivals; but we are running our troop under strictly military rules. It's always fair to try and find out what you are going to be up against when entering a competition. We are badly handicapped, because both of these other troops in the county have been working all summer; and we've got to come up from behind in our attempt to capture the prize. That's right, isn't it, fellows?"
"Sure! We only want to know if they're going to make a big fight; or whether they expect to have a walk-over. Besides, I happen to know that there was a Bald Eagle from Aldine watching us work yesterday. He had a field glass, and was hidden where he could see all that went on."
It was Jud Elderkin who made this astonishing declaration; and what he said created quite a stir among the assembled scouts.
"All right. We didn't go there expecting to steal any of their thunder, fellows," said Bobolink.
"Of course not," asserted the nearest scouts.
"Well, how did you find it?" demanded William.
"I didn't see that they had anything on us. Of course they did lots of things better, because they've had a heap more experience; but there's time between now and Thanksgiving for the scouts of the Stanhope troop to get a move on, and shake all rivals out of their boots. That's all," and Bobolink made a sudden duck to get out of the lime-light.
"Hurrah! Well done, Three and Four of the Red Fox patrol! Whenever we've got any more climbing to do, we know where to get the monkeys!" cried William, with a mock bow in the direction of the blushing Bluff, and the grinning Bobolink.
"I congratulate the scouts on the way they carried out their mission. It was worthy of the annals of Cooper. May I ask how they learned just where the camp of the Aldine Troop was to be pitched?" asked Paul.
Bluff was no longer to be repressed; but sprang erect.
"I d-d-discovered that they always w-w-went to a p-p-particular p-p-place; and w-w-when we s-s-saw that noble tree, why, we j-j-just l-l-looked at each other, and s-s-shook hands. Then we c-c-climbed up before the f-f-first eagle f-f-flew that way. T-t-thank you gentlemen f-f-for your k-k-kind attention."
"Wow! he got that in pat, all right. When Bluff makes up his mind to hustle he can beat the band. I move a vote of thanks to these most efficient scouts," said Wallace, pushing forward.
They were given with a will; after which other reports came to show what was being accomplished in numerous lines.
The troop photographers produced their prints, which were passed around for examination, and brought forth an abundance of good words. To see themselves in the new suits of khaki made many a fellow's heart thrill with pride.
"We must have a meeting every day up to the beginning of school," declared the acting scout master, finally; "for these busy Eagles have stolen a march on us while we slept; and we've just got to hustle now to catch up."
"But we've got some mighty fine things to our credit already, and don't you forget it, boys. I haven't heard of a horse being stopped, and a child's life saved over in Aldine or Manchester," declared Wallace, with a proud glance toward Paul.
"Or any account of the rival troops attending a fire in a body, and working to beat the band until their new uniforms were next to ruined," spoke up Nuthin'.
"I guess the boys of Manchester must feel pretty small when they listen to the story of how a Red Fox scout walked right into a burning building, and snatched up a baby that had been forgotten; hey, how about that, fellers?" shouted William, pointing his finger at Jack.
"We're hitting up the pace. We're going strong, and bound to make things hustle right up to Thanksgiving Day! Every fellow do his level best to bring that banner home to Stanhope!" cried Jud Elderkin.
"We can do it!" yelled half a dozen in chorus.
"Why, its easy money, boys. Just organized, and not a second class scout in the troop yet, but look at what we've done. Give us a little time, and we're going to make the Beavers and Bald Eagles, and all the rest of 'em, sit up and take notice!" avowed Nuthin'.
"And wait until you hear the inspiring sound of my bugle, which I expect to have at the next meeting," said Bobolink, proudly.
"Huh! that won't h-h-hold a c-c-candle to my d-d-drum!" declared Bluff, waving his arms wildly, as though he could already imagine the great fun in store when that instrument came to hand.
And so the meeting broke up, with the scouts disbanding for the day. Some lingered to try once more the various stunts that interested them most. It seemed as if every fellow's heart might be wrapped up in the desire to win that coveted trophy, and bring the banner to his home town.
Strange to say there had not been a single mention of the other Stanhope organization. None of them believed that Ted and Ward would be able to make the least show in the competition. They knew the habits of these fellows only too well. As a rule, they never won, save through trickery; and in the eyes of the committee appointed by the donor of the banner, anything that smacked of double dealing would be rigidly barred from the game.
Paul and Jack, as usual, walked home together, arm in arm.
As the recognized leaders in the movement that had so lately struck the boys of Stanhope, they must always have much to talk over.
Besides that, they had their own personal affairs to discuss.
"Well," said Jack, finally, when they found that they were alone, the nearest comrades being far behind on the road; "the four coins are still there in the snug little box, Paul."
His companion looked quickly at him.
"You carried out my suggestion then?" he asked.
"Yes. The door has been closed and locked all day. Even the window was shut down and fastened," replied Jack.
"That made the little den as tight as a drum, eh?" laughed his chum.
"I should say it did. If any one got in there to-day he would have to slip through the keyhole," came from Jack.
"Unless he happened to have a duplicate key," Paul went on, seriously. "And since you found the four coins there that could hardly have happened. Sure you counted four, are you?"
"That's positive," returned his companion; "but to tell the truth I did get a little scare. At first I counted only three."
"But you found the fourth all right, Jack?"
"Oh! yes," replied the other. "It was gummed fast to the side of the box. I had to scrape it off before I put it back. But when do you mean to tell me what you know about this strange affair, Paul?"
"I guess to-morrow," answered his chum.
"Bully for you. I'll be glad to get it off my mind. What do you want me to do, Paul, in the meantime?"
"Nothing," came the ready response.
"Shall I leave the den shut up as it is, then?" demanded Jack.
"Until I see you in the morning, yes," laughed Paul. "Don't be surprised if I pop in on you unexpectedly. Perhaps I may not want any one to see me go in your house, and so I might come by the back door."
Jack looked at him in a whimsical way and shook his head.
"You've got me guessing, all right, my boy," he declared.
Paul instantly changed the subject, after a way he had.
"The boys are getting on fine in that water boiling test, aren't they? Four had it in nine minutes, and Wallace beat his own record by nearly half a minute. That is going to be one thing Stanhope must excel in," he said.
"Yes," remarked Jack, falling in readily enough with his companion's desire to "talk shop," "and those photographs couldn't well be beaten. What a lot of new and interesting facts some of the trackers have dug out of the trails they followed. The papers read fine. Paul, I really begin to believe we're going to make a strong bid for that banner."
Paul did not reply, and on Jack turning his head to ascertain why, he found his chum staring at a red automobile that had just whizzed past!
It had a khaki-colored top!