CHAPTER XXII
SCOUTING IN EARNEST
"Hurry up, old molasses! Winter's coming."
"Hit up the pace, won't you, please, Bobby?"
Bobolink grinned. This was apparently just what he liked. When, however,he saw a restless movement among some of the more impatient, as thoughthey were stooping down to gather chips to shy at him, he knew the timehad come to open those sphinx-like lips, and speak.
"Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen," he began, when a roar interruptedhim, so that he pretended to hastily remedy his error--"I mean justgentlemen; I have the honor to report that your committee waited on thebrothers of the Aldine troop, though unbeknown to their keenest scouts,and watched the entire operations at their called meeting this morning."
"Good! Fine! Keep it up, Old Leatherstocking!"
"We learned that they are working like mad to excel in all the arts thatinterest the scouting fraternity. Competitions were being run off inevery branch of the woodcraft business. We saw fires started, camps made,trails followed, boats mended, fish flies tied, rods that had been madeby single members; we heard of all sorts of clever things that were beingdone in Aldine that would give the troop marks in the grand round-up. Welistened to splendid speeches from the really efficient scout master, andour hearts warmed within us toward the gallant foe against whom we mustsoon be pitted; just as our bones ached because we had to squat therehigh up in that tree over their camp, like a couple of roosting monkeys."
"Hear! hear! Bully for our monkeys! They're all to the good!" shoutedsome of the more demonstrative boys, waving their hats wildly.
Bobolink stopped to give a few melancholy dabs at his thighs, just asthough they still ached from the long service in the tree; while Bluffmanaged to emit a series of sympathetic groans.
Then the orator took up his theme again; and when Bobolink chose he couldeven run Wallace Carberry a warm race on the school rostrum.
"Some people might think that it was hardly fair in us to spy on ourrivals; but we are running our troop under strictly military rules. It'salways fair to try and find out what you are going to be up against whenentering a competition. We are badly handicapped, because both of theseother troops in the county have been working all summer; and we've got tocome up from behind in our attempt to capture the prize. That's right,isn't it, fellows?"
"Sure! We only want to know if they're going to make a big fight; orwhether they expect to have a walk-over. Besides, I happen to know thatthere was a Bald Eagle from Aldine watching us work yesterday. He hada field glass, and was hidden where he could see all that went on."
It was Jud Elderkin who made this astonishing declaration; and what hesaid created quite a stir among the assembled scouts.
"All right. We didn't go there expecting to steal any of their thunder,fellows," said Bobolink.
"Of course not," asserted the nearest scouts.
"Well, how did you find it?" demanded William.
"I didn't see that they had anything on us. Of course they did lots ofthings better, because they've had a heap more experience; but there'stime between now and Thanksgiving for the scouts of the Stanhope troop toget a move on, and shake all rivals out of their boots. That's all," andBobolink made a sudden duck to get out of the lime-light.
"Hurrah! Well done, Three and Four of the Red Fox patrol! Whenever we'vegot any more climbing to do, we know where to get the monkeys!" criedWilliam, with a mock bow in the direction of the blushing Bluff, and thegrinning Bobolink.
"I congratulate the scouts on the way they carried out their mission. Itwas worthy of the annals of Cooper. May I ask how they learned just wherethe camp of the Aldine Troop was to be pitched?" asked Paul.
Bluff was no longer to be repressed; but sprang erect.
"I d-d-discovered that they always w-w-went to a p-p-particularp-p-place; and w-w-when we s-s-saw that noble tree, why, we j-j-justl-l-looked at each other, and s-s-shook hands. Then we c-c-climbed upbefore the f-f-first eagle f-f-flew that way. T-t-thank you gentlemenf-f-for your k-k-kind attention."
"Wow! he got that in pat, all right. When Bluff makes up his mind tohustle he can beat the band. I move a vote of thanks to these mostefficient scouts," said Wallace, pushing forward.
They were given with a will; after which other reports came to show whatwas being accomplished in numerous lines.
The troop photographers produced their prints, which were passed aroundfor examination, and brought forth an abundance of good words. To seethemselves in the new suits of khaki made many a fellow's heart thrillwith pride.
"We must have a meeting every day up to the beginning of school,"declared the acting scout master, finally; "for these busy Eagles havestolen a march on us while we slept; and we've just got to hustle now tocatch up."
"But we've got some mighty fine things to our credit already, and don'tyou forget it, boys. I haven't heard of a horse being stopped, and achild's life saved over in Aldine or Manchester," declared Wallace, witha proud glance toward Paul.
"Or any account of the rival troops attending a fire in a body, andworking to beat the band until their new uniforms were next to ruined,"spoke up Nuthin'.
"I guess the boys of Manchester must feel pretty small when they listento the story of how a Red Fox scout walked right into a burning building,and snatched up a baby that had been forgotten; hey, how about that,fellers?" shouted William, pointing his finger at Jack.
"We're hitting up the pace. We're going strong, and bound to make thingshustle right up to Thanksgiving Day! Every fellow do his level best tobring that banner home to Stanhope!" cried Jud Elderkin.
"We can do it!" yelled half a dozen in chorus.
"Why, its easy money, boys. Just organized, and not a second class scoutin the troop yet, but look at what we've done. Give us a little time,and we're going to make the Beavers and Bald Eagles, and all the restof 'em, sit up and take notice!" avowed Nuthin'.
"And wait until you hear the inspiring sound of my bugle, which I expectto have at the next meeting," said Bobolink, proudly.
"Huh! that won't h-h-hold a c-c-candle to my d-d-drum!" declared Bluff,waving his arms wildly, as though he could already imagine the great funin store when that instrument came to hand.
And so the meeting broke up, with the scouts disbanding for the day. Somelingered to try once more the various stunts that interested them most.It seemed as if every fellow's heart might be wrapped up in the desire towin that coveted trophy, and bring the banner to his home town.
Strange to say there had not been a single mention of the other Stanhopeorganization. None of them believed that Ted and Ward would be able tomake the least show in the competition. They knew the habits of thesefellows only too well. As a rule, they never won, save through trickery;and in the eyes of the committee appointed by the donor of the banner,anything that smacked of double dealing would be rigidly barred from thegame.
Paul and Jack, as usual, walked home together, arm in arm.
As the recognized leaders in the movement that had so lately struck theboys of Stanhope, they must always have much to talk over.
Besides that, they had their own personal affairs to discuss.
"Well," said Jack, finally, when they found that they were alone, thenearest comrades being far behind on the road; "the four coins are stillthere in the snug little box, Paul."
His companion looked quickly at him.
"You carried out my suggestion then?" he asked.
"Yes. The door has been closed and locked all day. Even the window wasshut down and fastened," replied Jack.
"That made the little den as tight as a drum, eh?" laughed his chum.
"I should say it did. If any one got in there to-day he would have toslip through the keyhole," came from Jack.
"Unless he happened to have a duplicate key," Paul went on, seriously."And since you found the four coins there that could hardly havehappened. Sure you counted four, are you?"
"That's positive," returned his companion; "but to tell the truth
I didget a little scare. At first I counted only three."
"But you found the fourth all right, Jack?"
"Oh! yes," replied the other. "It was gummed fast to the side of the box.I had to scrape it off before I put it back. But when do you mean to tellme what you know about this strange affair, Paul?"
"I guess to-morrow," answered his chum.
"Bully for you. I'll be glad to get it off my mind. What do you want meto do, Paul, in the meantime?"
"Nothing," came the ready response.
"Shall I leave the den shut up as it is, then?" demanded Jack.
"Until I see you in the morning, yes," laughed Paul. "Don't be surprisedif I pop in on you unexpectedly. Perhaps I may not want any one to see mego in your house, and so I might come by the back door."
Jack looked at him in a whimsical way and shook his head.
"You've got me guessing, all right, my boy," he declared.
Paul instantly changed the subject, after a way he had.
"The boys are getting on fine in that water boiling test, aren't they?Four had it in nine minutes, and Wallace beat his own record by nearlyhalf a minute. That is going to be one thing Stanhope must excel in," hesaid.
"Yes," remarked Jack, falling in readily enough with his companion'sdesire to "talk shop," "and those photographs couldn't well be beaten.What a lot of new and interesting facts some of the trackers have dug outof the trails they followed. The papers read fine. Paul, I really beginto believe we're going to make a strong bid for that banner."
Paul did not reply, and on Jack turning his head to ascertain why, hefound his chum staring at a red automobile that had just whizzed past!
It had a khaki-colored top!