CHAPTER XII
THE FIRST CAMP-FIRE
"Help, he's going to eat us all up!" shouted Billy Button.
Felix and Rob Shaefer did not like the looks of the oncoming dog anymore than did Billy. Being more pugnacious by nature, however, insteadof making a frantic dash over the wire fence, and trying to crawlthrough between the strands at the risk of tearing their clothes, theyhurried to snatch up some clubs which would serve them as a means ofdefence.
The dog acted as if he meant business. They were trespassing on hismaster's territory, and as the guardian appointed to defend this groundhe assailed the intruders without fear or favor.
They had quite a lively time of it, what with the shouting, the loudbursts of laughter from those scouts who were safe on the other side ofthe fence, and the agonized cries of Billy Button, caught fast in thegrip of the barbed-wire, and expecting to be devoured.
Both Felix and Rob had luckily managed to secure fairly strong piecesof broken limbs from the trees. With these they boldly assaulted thedog, and kept him from jumping on the helpless comrade until some ofthe others came to Billy's assistance, and by raising the wires allowedhim to crawl through.
Tom and George hastened to join in the fray for it was evident that thesavage dog would have to be beaten off before those who were in dangercould find a chance to reach the road again.
With four enemies against him the dog concluded that he had done allthat could be expected of him, and that it was now no dishonor to beata masterly retreat; which he accordingly did.
The boys pretended to chase after him, with loud shouts; but seeingtheir opportunity to escape made haste to put the wire fence betweenthemselves and the owner of those cruel white fangs. As long as hecould follow them from his side of the barrier the dog continued tobark savagely; but did not offer to leave his own domain.
After all Billy Button was the only one to suffer, and he had a finebig three-cornered hole in his coat.
"Going into the real-estate business, are you, Billy?" asked Josh, whocould always see a chance for a joke.
"Oh! am I?" retorted the other. "What makes you think that, Josh?"
"Because you've got a sign up 'to rent,'" is what the other told him.
"Didn't I see that dog take hold of you by the leg, Felix, at the timeyou struck him so hard on the head with your club?" Mr. Witherspoonasked.
"Yes, sir, but he only dented my leggings, you see," the buglerreplied, as he showed where the marks of the animal's teeth could beplainly seen; "that's the good of having extra-thick canvas leggingson; they save you from snake bites and all sorts of other things thatyou don't want."
"It was a pretty lively skirmish while it lasted, let me tell you,"admitted Rob Shaefer, who had seemed quite to enjoy the affair.
Another hour or more passed, with the column straggling along, and someof the boys showing positive signs of fatigue. Mr. Witherspoon had beenconsulting with the leader of the Black Bear Patrol, and evidently theyhad reached a conclusion, for presently the welcome order was given toturn into the woods, as the day's hike was at an end.
Gladly did those tired lads obey the call. And one of the first thingsthey discovered was that there was another cold spring nearby, thepresence of which, of course, had been known to those who carried thechart of the region.
First of all they dropped down to rest themselves. Later on, when theywere feeling more like doing things, they would start to put the campin order, get the fires started, and perhaps erect some sort of rudeshelter that to a certain degree would take the place of tents.
Finally some of the more enterprising began to stir around. Josh tookit upon himself to provide a fireplace made out of stones which layconveniently near. It was to be built according to the best formula heknew, something in the shape of a letter V, with the large end towardthe wind; and across the top of the stones they would lay their ironrods, thus forming a gridiron on which would rest the frying-pan andthe coffee-pot.
"I'll duplicate your cooking fire, Josh," said Rob Shaefer, who meantto show some of his new chums a few wrinkles he had learned when incamp on other occasions.
Half an hour before the sun went down both fires were crackling at agreat rate; and when good beds of red embers should have formedoperations looking to supper would be started by those in charge of theoccasion.
Everybody took a deep interest in what was now going on. All sorts ofsuggestions were called back and forth as the ham was sliced and thepotatoes put in the pots for boiling; while further along the fires thetwo coffee-pots began to emit a most delightful and appetizing odorthat made the hungry boys wild with impatience.
The spot where they had determined to spend their first night out wasin the midst of the woods. Around them the forest trees lay on everyside, some being great oaks, others beeches, with drooping branches andsmooth silvery bark--as well as other species, such as sycamore, ashand lindens.
Most of the scouts were bubbling over with enthusiasm concerning theoutlook before them; but several of the less daring ones might be seencasting furtive glances about as though the prospect of passing thenight amidst such lonely surroundings had already commenced to makethem feel a little queer.
No doubt the pride of these fellows would carry them through theinitial night; and after that by degrees they would become accustomedto their new experiences. Every soldier can look back to his firstbattle, remembering how he trembled in his shoes, and feeling that hewould give all he possessed for the privilege of running away at topspeed.
And when supper was ready, with the boys gathered around, each bent ondoing the best he knew how to show his appreciation of the work of thecooks, it seemed to be the fitting climax to a most wonderful day.Would they ever forget that supper? Never had anything tasted soroyally good at home.
"This is the life!" declared Josh Kingsley, buoyantly, as he passed histin plate along for a second helping when he heard it mentioned thatthere was still a further supply not distributed.
"It certainly does taste pretty fine to me!" admitted Horace Crapsey,who had in times gone by been so finicky about his eating that hisfolks had begun to wonder what was going to become of him--yet who wasnow sitting there cross-legged like a Turk, wielding an ordinary knifeand fork, and with his pannikin on his lap, actually doing without anapkin, and enjoying it in the bargain.
Mr. Witherspoon had the seat of honor, for the boys insisted that heshould occupy the highest place on the log that had been rolled nearthe fires. He observed all that went on with satisfaction. Boys wereclose to his heart, and he never tired of his hobby of studying them.It was a constant source of delight to the scout master to listen tothem chatter, and he noticed that a perceptible change was taking placein some of his charges since first joining the troop.
Finally when every youth admitted that he had had all he could eat,Mr. Witherspoon got up.
"Now it's full time we started our _real_ campfire," he announced."That was why I had you gather such a big heap of wood. Here's theright place for the blaze, as we must be careful not to scorch any ofthe trees, the branches of which hang down over us, because thisproperty belongs to some one, and we must respect his rights."
He had no trouble about finding willing workers, because every oneacted as if anxious to have a hand in the building of that firstcampfire, to be recorded in the annals of Lenox Troop as an event ofunusual importance.
When finally the pyramid had been carefully built the scout master wasasked to apply the match.
"Unfortunately I do not know the customary procedure on such momentousoccasions," he told the boys, as they formed a circle around the pile;"and all I can say is that with this match I am about to dedicate thisfire to the useful purpose of bringing all our hearts in tune with oursurroundings. For to-night then, we will try to believe ourselves realvagabonds, or children of the forest, sitting around the sanctuary atwhich every camper worships--the crackling fire!"
Then the blaze began to seize hold of the wood, and amidst the cheersof the enthus
iastic scouts the fire got fully under way.
High leaped the red flames, so that presently there was a generalbackward movement, on account of the heat. Had it been November insteadof June, they would doubtless have enjoyed the cheery warmth much more.
Each boy managed to pick out a comfortable place, and then the talkbegan to grow general. Plans for the morrow and the succeeding dayswere being discussed with much ardor.
It was while this was going on, and the scouts were all feeling mosthappy that with but scant warning a discomforting element was suddenlyinjected into Camp Content. Moving figures, harsh voices, together withthe half strangled barks of dogs held in leash startled the seatedcampers. Two rough-looking men, evidently a farmer and his hired man,armed with guns, and holding a couple of dogs by ropes, came in sightclose by.