“I’m glad to see you have a pocket compass and a good knife,” concluded Sagamore Carrigan. “I’ll take my large woodsman’s ax, and Sanders will take his hand ax—that should be enough for the whole party. Cowboy Platt here has offered to do all the cooking, if we take turns at K.P. I’ve drawn from the kitchen only the grub that we can’t get along the way, and we’ll save it for ‘iron rations’ in the back-country. Ellick also gave me some pots and pans, but each trailer will have to take his own cup and plate and fork. Before we leave tomorrow, I’ll have another inspection and try to see that we don’t forget anything we need. Have your blanket-rolls ready immediately after breakfast. Any questions about outfits?”
Spaghetti Megaro and young Brown had need of the councilor’s advice about selecting certain of their garments. After he had given it, he unrolled a large map and tacked it to the pine shingles of the lodge wall, where all could see.
“I want you trailers to get every line of this map into your minds,” he urged. “Learn it so you could draw it blindfolded. It will be riding in my pocket for the whole trip, and whenever any of you has a minute to spare, study it. You can see that I’ve lined in the Long Trail in red ink.”
Dirk breathed faster as his eyes followed Sagamore Wise-Tongue’s pointing finger.
“Here’s Lenape, and way off here in the corner is old Mount Kinnecut, where nine green-and-white pennants are flying. That’s where we’ve got to go, and we’ll make it in three days, if all goes well. The first day’s run—tomorrow—will be an easy stage, just to get in trim and harden up. And see that your feet are in good shape, for that’s what you’ll have to travel on most of the way. We’ll stop at Pot-Hole Glen at noon, and make the river before dark. The canoes left on a wagon this morning, and we’ll find them at Skinner’s Ferry when we get there. Now, I’ll leave this map posted here for the rest of the day, so that you can get its details clear in mind before we leave. Anything else?”
“Yes, I got one!” put in Ugly Brown. “Who’s going to carry the flag?”
Sagamore Wise-Tongue smiled, and drew from his blouse a triangular bit of green bunting on which was stitched a large L in white. “The trailer who carries this,” he said, “will have to be watchful and cunning, for he will bear with him the honor of all of us, and the honor of Lenape. I’ll leave it to you to choose which trailer it shall be.”
Before anyone else could speak, Dirk cried out: “Brick Ryan! He’s the best of us! Let it be Brick, sir!”
“Sure,” agreed Megaro, “I bet you my life Brick is the one. I vote for him too.”
The others added their votes with shouts of approval; even Ugly Brown, who secretly had hoped to be the standard-bearer, swallowed his disappointment, and taking the banner, presented it to Ryan, whose face grew almost as red as his flaming hair.