By changing the cargoes it was found possible to carry the two extra passengers, especially since neither of them happened to be a large man.
The boys were as happy as larks as they swept down the river. They laughed, joked and sang by the hour, because now there was no longer any reason for keeping silent, since they were passing out of the big game country.
“But not near half of our time is up,” Giraffe would remark frequently; “and after we get these two cripples safely landed, why, we mean to make a fresh start. Allan says he’ll show us another trail, where we c’n meet up with a new lot of adventures, have some fine hunting, and see more of these great Maine woods. For one I’m just hopin’ we’ll run up against a pack of them fierce old wolves like we heard howlin’ near our cabin that night. A bear is all well enough, but I’ve always wanted to bag a wolf, the worst kind.”
“Don’t you think you’re goin’ to run the whole shootin’ match,” remarked Bumpus significantly. “There are others, Giraffe.”
“Hello! sounds like Bumpus has changed his mind, and feels like he had ought to own a gun of some kind too!” declared Step Hen.
“That’s right, he does,” Bumpus hastened to declare, boldly. “If other Boy Scouts c’n carry weapons in the woods, I don’t see why I hadn’t ought to have the same privilege. My folks don’t like the ijee very much; but then a feller’s just got to keep up with the procession. And it’ll be the makin’ of me, I guess, if somethin’ coaxes me to get out in the woods, and walk miles every chance that comes along. Let’s look at that fine little gun of yours again, Step Hen. If I only can get one, that’s my idea of a clever shooter. And it don’t wear a feller’s shoulder out, either, carryin’ the same.”
“Glad to hear it, Bumpus; and I reckon you’ll be able to afford a gun, with all your share of the fat rewards ahead. If you say so, I’ll go to the gun store with you, and help pick out a good one. You really ought to have an experienced hand along at such a time.”
Thad and Allan exchanged glances at this remark on the part of Step Hen; for they knew full well that his rifle had been purchased entirely through the advice of the patrol leader.
“Thank you, Step Hen,” Bumpus was heard to say sweetly in reply; “I’ll be only too glad to have you along. But I’ve got one important piece of business to look after the minute I get ashore, and within reach of a telegraph office. If it busts my pocketbook I’m sure goin’ to send a wire to our bank cashier, and ask him if I did deliver that letter my dad told me was so important.”
“Why, I should think you’d rather send the message to your own house?” Giraffe suggested, with a wink toward Thad, for the canoes were all close together at the time.