“He had better not try to use that nasty looking whip around here, that’s all I want to say,” remarked Bud Morgan, who had joined Hugh and Billy.
“Don’t talk quite so loud, Bud,” warned the leader of the Wolf Patrol, who saw no reason why they should add fuel to the fire that seemed to be raging in the heart of the countryman.
The farmer was a typical Yankee in looks, and in a city he would be termed a “hayseed” by the boys; but Hugh knew very well that such a man might be a well-to-do owner of much property, and respected in the community where he lived. In the country it is not always a wise thing to judge a man’s standing by the appearance of his overalls and jumper.
“They tell me yeou be the feller in charge o’ this outfit, mister,” was the way he greeted Hugh as he arrived on the spot.
“Well,” said the boy, “we have a gentleman by the name of Lieutenant Denmead who is the real scout master of the Oakvale Troop, but he was called home by the sickness of his mother, and I am serving in his place. What can I do for you, sir?”
Hugh said this with one of his winning smiles, but the old farmer evidently felt in no humor to let himself be moved by such influences.
“I’m comin’ here tew enter a complaint,” he started to say; “and I want it understood that we farmers ain’t agoin’ tew stand for any sech pranks. Where yeou came from they c’n excuse boys’ keerlessness, but we call it by another name up here. It’s agin the law tew trespass on a man’s property where there’s signs warnin’ people off; an’ when boys adds tew that by leavin’ the bars o’ a pasture daown so the cattle c’n wander away, they’re takin’ right big chances o’ landin’ in the taown lockup.”
There were some contemptuous snorts heard as the boys gathered around. Apparently they did not take to the old farmer’s accusation very kindly. Hugh knew them well enough to believe that there must be some mistake; for scouts are as a rule too well trained with regard to the rights of others to offend heedlessly in that manner.
“Did someone leave the bars of your pasture down, then?” he asked the farmer.
“Jest what I said, and naow I got the job o’ huntin’ all over creation tew find my keows and that ’ere prize Holstein bull that’s wuth a thousand dollars. I’m givin’ yeou fellers plain warnin’ that this thing ain’t tew be tolerated any more.”