“Peter sent us out to fetch you,” Hugh explained. “Peter would have come along but we wouldn’t let him, because he was tired out, and burned in a good many places. You’re going to come with us, of course. Jack, you take the little one. Put your arms around his neck, honey, for he wants to carry you. Bud, do the same with the second one. Don and myself will look after this fine manly little chap here; and when you get tired just let us know, for we mean to spell you playing nurse.”
Hugh said this in his kindest tone, and it had always been a notorious fact that children took to the leader of the Wolf Patrol as though they knew instinctively that he was a good friend.
The oldest boy did not hesitate after once looking into Hugh’s face. He immediately put out his little hand confidingly, and allowed the scout master to take it in his. Don offered support on the other side, and thus flanked, what was there to fear further? Let the forest smolder and blaze as it would, with such staunch allies between him and danger he could rest stout of heart and undisturbed.
Nor did the other two show any sign of rebellion when Jack and Bud offered to lift them up in their stout arms. “Any port in a storm” must have appealed to the babes in the woods just then. Besides, these boys looked kind, and they had promised to go straight to where Peter was, Peter in whom the kids seemed to have unbounded confidence.
So they started back.
Hugh and Don led the way, with the little chap between them. If the boy gave any sign of being tired out either of the scouts stood ready to lift him up, “toting” him part of the way.
The forest looked just as gloomy and fearful as before, only none of them seemed to mind it now. They had accomplished their errand, and the suspense that had weighed so heavily on their minds had taken wings and flown away.
“It was a lucky thing all around,” said Hugh as he picked his way along, taking the easiest course possible more on account of those tender little feet than for his own benefit, “that the kids didn’t think of straying off.”
“We would have had a dickens of a time finding them if they had,” agreed Don.
“Shows that someone must have taught them the spirit of obedience,” suggested Jack. “I reckon now these two boys will grow up to make extra fine scouts one of these days.”