Securing a brand that was suitable for the purpose, Bumpus advanced toward the two men. He handed this to Hank.
“Stand thar!” ordered the bully, as Bumpus was edging away.
Applying the light to his pipe, Hank sent out several puffs of smoke. Then, just as a smoker might wish to extinguish his match before throwing it away, he suddenly hurled the blazing torch after the now retreating Bumpus. That worthy tried to dodge, but was either too clumsy, or else Hank had made allowances for this. At any rate, the brand struck Bumpus squarely in the middle of his fat back; and while it did not set his clothes on fire, at least it forced a grunt from the scout.
Hank burst out into a harsh laugh, while Pierre grinned. Then they went on talking as though regardless of the presence of the boy.
Thad had felt Giraffe quiver beside him when he saw Bumpus abused and insulted in this fashion.
And only for Hank giving that laugh, one of the men might have heard the gritting of Giraffe’s strong teeth, he was that worked up.
“Sh!” hissed the scoutmaster, close to the other’s ear; and Giraffe subsided, though he was still quivering all over from excitement and eagerness,—yes and anger too. If he could only have had his way right then and there, Giraffe undoubtedly would have stepped out, and covering the two rascals with his gun, threatened to shoot unless they abjectly surrendered. And this time they would not get off as easily as before. After the way they had treated Bumpus, they deserved something more severe.
But then Thad evidently was not quite ready to act. Perhaps he wanted to see what else Hank and his timber mate might do. Perhaps—but Giraffe concluded that it was foolish trying to figure these things out, when all he had to do in order to learn the truth, was to possess his soul in patience and wait.
Bumpus, true to his new scout training, even while he was listening to the laughter of his tormentor, and rubbing his back where the fire-brand had struck him with such a thump; turned, and deliberately put his foot upon the blaze, grinding it into the earth until it was utterly extinguished.
It was really one of the most surprising examples of newly-acquired discipline that Thad had even seen. Nor would he soon forget it.