CHAPTER XI
ON THE WAY
Amidst many hearty cheers and the clapping of hands the Boy Scoutsstarted off. Felix Robbins had been elected bugler of the troop, and asthere was no regular instrument for him, he had thought to fetch alongthe fish horn the boys used in playing fox and geese.
This he sounded with considerable vim as the khaki-clad lads marchedaway, with a flag at their head, the scout master keeping stepalongside the column.
Some of the older people had come to see them off. Others hurried tothe open doors and windows at the sound of the horn and the cheers, towave their hands and give encouraging smiles.
It was a proud time for those boys. They stood up as straight asramrods, and held their heads with the proud consciousness that for thetime being they were the center of attraction.
There were ten in all starting forth. More might have gone, only thatno scout not wearing the khaki could accompany the expedition; andbesides the members of the Black Bear Patrol, Rob Shaefer and StanleyAckerman were the only two who could boast of a uniform.
A number of boys accompanied them for a mile or so, to give them a goodsend-off; after which they either returned home or else went over theriver fishing.
For the first two miles or so every one seemed to be standing the trampwell. Then as it began to get warmer, and the pack, somehow, seemed toincrease in weight, several scouts lagged a little.
Seeing this, and understanding that it is always an unwise thing topush a horse or a human being in the beginning of a long race, Mr.Witherspoon thought it best to slacken their pace.
They were in no particular hurry to get anywhere; and once heels beganto get sore from the rubbing of their shoes, it would not be easy tocure them again. The wise scout master was a believer in the motto that"an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure."
Ahead of them loomed the lofty elevation that possibly from its shapehad long been known as Big Bear Mountain. The boys had tried to learnjust how it came by that name--and naturally this subject interestedthem more than ever as they found themselves drawing steadily closer toits foot.
"It doesn't look so _very_ much like a bear to me," George Kingsleyremarked, as the discussion waxed warmer. Though for that matter Georgealways did find some reason to object to almost everything.
"I was told by an old settler who ought to know," ventured Tom, "thatlong ago numerous bears lived in the rocky dens of the mountain, andthat's how it came to be called as it is."
"Must have been years and years ago then," said Josh, "because I neverremember hearing about a bear being seen hereabouts. I often used tolook for bear tracks when I was out hunting, but of course I neverfound one."
"Wouldn't it be a great thing if we did happen on a real bear while wewere out on this hike?" suggested Billy Button, who was rather given tostretches of imagination, and seeing things where they did not exist.
So they beguiled the time away as they tramped along. Gradually theyapproached the great gloomy looking mountain, and it was seen that bythe time they stopped for their noon meal they would probably be at itsfoot.
Tom and Carl were walking together, for somehow the boys seemed to pairoff as a general thing. Carl was looking brighter now, as though in theexcitement of the start he might have temporarily forgotten histroubles.
"There don't seem to be so many farms up this way as we thought," Tomobserved as they found themselves walking close beside a stretch ofwoodland, with a gully on the other side of the road.
"That may make it harder for us to get the supplies we'll need, Ishould think," suggested Carl, who knew the leaders of the expeditionhad counted on finding hospitable farmers from time to time, from whomthey could purchase bread, butter, and perhaps smoked ham or bacon,very little of which had been carried with them--in fact no more thanwould be required for a few meals.
"Yes," admitted Tom readily enough. "But then it will afford us achance to show our ability as scouts--and if you look at it the rightway that counts for a lot. When everything goes according to theschedule you've arranged there isn't much credit in doing things; butwhen you're up against it good and hard, and have to shut your teethand fight, then when you accomplish things you've got a right to feelsatisfied."
Carl knew full well there was a hidden significance beneath these wordsof his chum's--and that Tom was once more trying to buoy up his hopes.
Since they had struck a portion of country not so thickly populated,the observing scouts had commenced to notice numerous interestingsights that attracted their attention. Soon every boy was straininghis eyesight in the hope of discovering new things among the trees, inthe air overhead, or it might be amidst the shadows of the woodlandalongside the country road.
The scout master encouraged this habit of observation all he could. Heknew that once it got a firm hold upon the average boy he could neveragain pass along a road or trail in the country without makingnumberless discoveries. What had once been a sealed book to his eyeswould now become as an open page.
About this time there were heard inquiries as to when they expected tostop and have a bite of lunch. Tom and the scout master had alreadyarranged this, and when the third scout was heard to say he felt ashungry as a wolf, Tom took it upon himself to explain.
"If you look ahead," he remarked, so that all could hear, "you'llnotice where a hump of the mountain seems to hang over the road. That'sabout where we expect to rest an hour or so."
"Must be something unusual about this particular place, I should say,for you to settle on it ahead of time this way," remarked wise Josh inhis Yankee way.
"There is," Tom informed him. "According to my map here, and whatinformation I've been able to pick up, there's a fine cold springbubbles up alongside the road right there; and for one I'm feeling theneed of a good drink the worst kind."
After that it was noticed that even the laggards began to show unusualenergy, as if the prospect of soon being able to throw themselves downand slake their thirst, as well as satisfy their hunger, appealedforcibly to them.
It was close on to noon when finally, with a shout, they hurriedforward and dropped their packs close to where the ice-cold springflowed.
"Queer how heavy those old packs do get the longer you carry them,"observed George, as he waited for his turn to lie down and drink hisfill of the spring water.
"You're a suspicious sort of fellow, George," declared Felix; "I'veseen you turn around as quick as a flash, just as if you thought someother scout might be hanging his pack on to yours, so as to make youcarry double."
George turned redder than he had already become under the force of thesun; but he did not deny the accusation.
It was decided not to light a fire at noon. They could eat a cold lunchand wash it down with water.
"We'll keep our fire for this evening," said Mr. Witherspoon; "you knowit is generally quite a ceremony--the starting of the first campfirewhen scouts go off on a long trip."
Waiting until the sun had started well on his way down the heavens,and there had arisen a little breeze that made it more bearable, thescout master finally had Felix sound his fish horn for the signal to"fall in."
Some of the boys did not show quite as much animation as on that otheroccasion. They were not accustomed to walking for hours, and would haveto get used to it through experience.
An hour later they were straggling along, some of them on the otherside of a wire fence that separated the road from the woods, as thereseemed to be a chance of making interesting discoveries there.
"Look at that red squirrel hanging head down to the bark on the trunkof that tree!" exclaimed Billy Button; "I never noticed just how theydid that stunt before."
"Huh! lots of us are seeing things through a magnifying glass since wejoined the scouts," admitted Felix. "Seems as if the scales have beentaken from my eyes, and I find a thousand things worth looking at allaround me."
"Well, here comes one right now, Felix; and he's a bouncer at that!"cried the third of the group that had invaded
the woods beyond thebarbed-wire fence.
Even as he spoke there was a furious barking, and a savage-looking dogcame tearing swiftly toward them, evidently bent on doing mischief.