Woodcraft; Or, How a Patrol Leader Made Good

by Captain Alan Douglas

"They keep late hours, all right," chuckled Elmer, noting these preparations for a meal; "or else they're getting this stuff ready for Dolph. That sounds more likely; and it looks as if he knew these fellows were here when he headed this way."

The presence of these two "Weary Willies" on the scene promised to complicate things more than a little. Three husky looking men instead of only one meant that the scouts would have to be pretty smart if they hoped to outwit the trio.

Still, Elmer had little fear of the result. He knew that with a baker's dozen of good fellows at his back, he ought to be able to come out ahead. But then, if his partly formed plans came out decently there would be no need of a rumpus, for the rescue of little Ruth might be effected through strategy, just as he had told the warlike Matt Tubbs.

Now and then he would glance toward the big cabin. Doubtless Dolph and the girl were inside that; and he wished he could find a way to creep up, so as to peep in through one of the openings. If he were absolutely sure that the two tramps would remain where they were, and not come prowling around to the rear, Elmer might have taken the chances of such a move.

But there was really no need. Whatever it was the men were cooking over the fire, it seemed to take but a short time; for the fat tramp presently waddled off to the door of the cabin, thrust his head inside, and bawled out something.

And presently a man came out. He was leading a little girl with golden hair, undoubtedly Ruth Tubbs. Elmer saw immediately that she had been sobbing, for she put her small hands to her face as if to rub away the tears. And he gritted his teeth when he saw the man shake her savagely, heard him growl some sort of a threat as to what he would do if she didn't stop crying.

He made her sit down near the fire on a log. Then he gave her something to eat on a piece of birch bark, which one of the tramps had stripped, fresh and clean, from a near-by tree.

At first the girl did not seem to want to eat, but upon being threatened again by the brute, she made a pretense of doing so, though it could be plainly seen that grief for her mother was taking away any appetite she might have had.

Elmer had seen enough from that side of the camp. If he could only withdraw now, he wanted to move around so as to come upon the place from the opposite side, and after that he could shape his plans of action.

But was it safe to try and creep away while those three fellows were so close to him? Should some movement on his part attract the attention of either one of the ugly looking tramps, who often looked that way, an investigation would be next in order. And while Elmer did not much doubt but that he could easily give them the slip, as he was a good runner, his presence there, acting in such a suspicious manner, would alarm the trio of tough characters, so that they would be put on their guard and flee, or else shut themselves up in the log cabin and laugh at all the puny efforts of the scouts to get at them.