The Boy Scouts at the Canadian Border

by John Henry Goldfrap

But even though this were done, the costly and invaluable bridge would not be saved unless that necessary wire were quickly discovered. Rob himself was beginning to feel a little worried over the matter. He thought they should have come upon it before then, unless his calculations were all awry. At the same time this did not mean he was ready to quit and call the game off, for that was hardly his way of doing things. They took more desperate chances with every foot that they drew nearer the threatened trestle, for it was impossible to say how far some of the timbers might be hurled when the explosion came, if it eventually did. That would depend altogether on the amount and concentrated energy of the explosive used; those men undoubtedly meant to do the most damage they could while about it.

Rob, in the start, could easily have covered three times as much ground as he did, and also discovered what he was looking for, had he dared use that wonderful little torch of his, which he had given to Donald. But this would have been utterly out of the question. It must have excited the suspicions of the concealed invaders, and caused them to hasten the culmination of their plans; or even, failing that, the attention of the armed guards above must have been attracted to the spot; and they were under orders to send a volley first at any moving object, and investigate afterward.

Foot by foot they continued to thoroughly comb every bit of territory over which they crept. If Rob failed to happen on the wire possibly Andy, or Zeb, or even Tubby might be the lucky one. They knew enough to understand that such a discovery was to be instantly communicated to the leader, so that he might start trying to sever communications.

Rob managed to cast frequent glances up toward the spot where he knew the solid ground was banked by a concrete wall, and the heavy beams of the trestle began. He wondered whether Donald would be as careful as he had cautioned him about showing himself, or if the boy, in his eagerness to save his father, would betray his presence by standing upright when on the embankment. So Rob was kept in a nervous state. Once he felt sure he heard a small stone rolling down the bank, possibly dislodged by the foot of the climber. He hoped that its descent had not been noticed by those men waiting in the clump of bushes toward the south; or that a vigilant member of the bridge guard would not come hurrying to the spot, ready to blaze away down the slope.

Andy had advanced a little after Donald’s departure. He was now almost alongside his chum and leader, ready to receive any necessary communication that Rob would think fit to pass along. Apparently the other saw no necessity for any exchange of opinions. He said not a word as he went on, foot by foot, feeling the dead grass, and the weeds that grew in profusion along the lower level close to the river’s verge, always hoping that the next movement would bring success.

It was Andy clutching his coat that caused Rob to look sideways, for the chum chanced to be on his left. This caused him to see what evidently Andy had reference to. Another rocket was swiftly climbing upward into the heavens; he could follow its yellow flight by the line of fire that trailed behind.

Even as he looked it described a beautiful turn and started earthward again, only to suddenly burst and discharge a swarm of writhing serpents that went wriggling this way and that until they disappeared from view.

Plainly, then, a second confederate of the plotters, on duty at another station still closer to the bridge, was endeavoring to let them know the doomed munition train was passing there, and was on its way eastward. The change from stars to serpents was significant in the eyes of Rob. But after all what did it matter, when they already knew that much? The sound of the heavy train reached them continuously, now rising higher, and anon falling to a lower pitch, but constantly in evidence.

The lay of the land compelled a closer approach to the embankment as they advanced, though Rob would much rather have kept a fair distance away, taking as little chance of danger as he consistently could. He did not yet give up hope of succeeding in his mission. At any second they were likely to discover what they sought.

Rob had it all planned out, how to cut the wire and balk the game those sneaking plotters had arranged. Perhaps he even gripped his wire-cutters in his hand, or at least knew where he could clutch them instantly when needed.