CHAPTER XXVI.
A SIGNAL STATION IN A TREE-TOP.
"Oh! that's the finest thing that ever could happen, Thad;" was the waythe delighted Smithy put his feelings into words. "And just to thinkthat right here you can make use of scout knowledge to tell Allan what'shappened. Why, without the wigwag telegraph we'd never be able to lethim know one single thing."
"Just what I was thinking myself, Smithy," returned the scout-master."And as you get deeper into the splendid things a Boy Scout is supposedto learn, while he climbs the ladder, you'll find that never a daypasses but what he can help himself, or some other fellow, by what heknows."
"I'm quite certain about that, Thad," Smithy went on, brimming over withsatisfaction, and wonder at the cleverness of his chum. "Why, I was justthinking it all over this morning, and what great chances a scout has todo things that an ordinary boy would never be able to even try, becausehe had not learned. Right now I'm positive I know how to best stop arunaway horse without endangering my life more than is absolutelynecessary."
"That's the kind of talk I like to hear, Smithy; it shows that youunderstand what the scout movement stands for; and mean to make the mostof the opportunities."
"Then suppose a chum of mine got in the water, and was taken with acramp," Smithy went on hurriedly, his blue eyes sparking with delight;"why, after what you showed me this morning, I believe that as soon as Iknow a little more about swimming, I could get him ashore."
"And when you had done that?" questioned Thad, who was meanwhile keepinghis eyes around him for the purpose of discovering the best tree whichhe could use as a signal tower, in the carrying out of his bold plan forcommunicating with the balance of the Silver Fox Patrol.
"Why, I wrote down every little thing you did when showing us how torevive a partly drowned person; and Thad, I practiced on a dummy whennobody was around to laugh. I'm positive I have it down pat, and coulddo the business."
"Laugh!" repeated the pleased scout-master; "I'd just like to see anyscout under my control make fun of a fellow who was so much in earnestthat he devoted some of his spare minutes to practicing the art ofsaving a human life. I hope you may never have to put that knowledge topractical use, Smithy; but if the occasion ever does come along, Ifirmly believe you'll be equal to it. I'm more than pleased at theearnest way you've taken hold of these things."
"Thank you, Thad," replied Smithy, actually with tears in his eyes; "butif I have, you can lay it partly to the fact that up to now I've beenhalf starved in respect to all the things that most boys know and do,and just wild to learn; and also that I've had the finest chum that everdrew breath to coach me. Oh! yes, there are dozens of other things I'velearned that are bound to widen the horizon of any boy. It was afortunate day for _me_ when you coaxed my mother to let me join the BoyScouts. Nobody else could have done it but you, Thad."
Smithy was growing more and more excited; and Thad thought best to endthat sort of talk. Besides, the time and place were hardly suited for anexchange of opinions with respect to the advantages of the scoutmovement.
"We'll talk it over another time, Smithy," he said, kindly. "Just now weought to bend our minds wholly on finding the right sort of tree for mywigwag station. Come along, and let's take a look at that tree just upthe bank yonder. Seems to me it ought to answer my purpose."
So he led the way to the tree in question, which happened to be closeby. It was little effort for Thad to climb up into the branches, leavingSmithy below; with directions to return to the beach when he heard awhistle from his chief; it being Thad's idea that the presence of someone below might draw attention to his flag work above, and interrupt themessage.
The higher he climbed the better he was satisfied; for he found that thetree was dead from a point half-way up, and consequently there was astronger chance that he could manage to attract the attention of Allan,on the hill a mile and a half away.
Finding the perch that seemed to answer his purpose best, Thad broke offa few small dead branches that threatened to interfere with the free useof his arm. After that he gave the whistle to let Smithy know thesignalman was fixed, and that he had better go back to the beach towait.
As yet he had seen nothing of Allan. The bald top of the hill was inplain sight from where the scout-master sat, perched aloft, but hescanned it in vain. Thad would not allow himself to doubt that presentlythe second in command of the patrol would show up there. He knew Allanwas a stickler for obeying orders to the very letter, and if hissuperior had said that he should reach the crown of that hill at exactlyseven minutes after ten, the chances were fifty to one Allan would makehis appearance on the second; or there would be trouble in the camp.
So, to amuse himself while waiting Thad turned partly around, andlooked after Davy. At first he was astonished not to see the floatinglog on the troubled surface of the lake to leeward, where it had beenmoving at a pretty fast clip when the scout-messenger left the island.
He experienced a sudden sensation of alarm, but immediately took a freshgrip on himself. Surely the waves were not so very boisterous now, forthe wind seemed to be diminishing, if anything. And Davy was a prettyfair swimmer, all things considered.
Thad presently gave expression to a little sigh of relief; for far away,just under the fringe of trees bordering the extreme end of Lake Omega,he had discovered a moving object. It was the flash of a breaking waveover the same that had attracted his attention first; and he now madeout the floating log.
Then Davy must have made much better time than he, Thad, had expectedwould be the case. No doubt he had assisted the progress of his novelcraft by swimming, being desirous of reaching land as soon as possible.
So Thad divided his time between the bald top of the signal stationhill, and the log that as he knew concealed the swimming scout.
"There he goes, creeping through the shallow water and heading for thebank," he presently muttered to himself in a pleased way. "And I cangive a pretty good guess that right now Davy is the happiest fellow inthe county; because he just loves adventure of any kind, and he's suregetting his fill. There, he pulls himself up on the shore, and ducksbehind that bunch of brush! Good boy, Davy; that ought to count for amerit mark, all right. Nobody could have done it better, and few aswell."
After that Davy vanished from his sight. He knew that the other wasmaking for camp at his best speed; but as he had a difficult task, withthe way so rough, it must be a couple of hours at least before he couldexpect to bring up at the tents, where the flag floated gaily from themast.
Turning wholly, so as to devote his full attention to the signal stationhill, Thad counted the minutes that seemed to drag so heavily.
Once or twice he thought he heard some sort of rustling sound down onthe island somewhere. He hoped that nothing was happening to Smithy; butof course it was utterly out of the question for him to call aloud, toinquire whether the tenderfoot scout was safe.
"He ought to be showing up soon now," Thad was muttering as he keptwatch of the smooth hilltop; "Every minute lost counts now. I hopenothing has happened in camp to disarrange the programme I laid out."
He had hardly spoken when he started, and a pleased look came over hisanxious face; for at last there was a movement on the bald top of theelevation, as if something might be doing.
Yes, a human figure was climbing steadily upward, now and then stoppingto make some sort of gesture to an unseen comrade at the base of thehill, either with his arm, or one of the signal flags he carried.
Eagerly Thad watched the ascent of his chum. He knew that Allan wascarrying the precious field glasses, for he saw the sun glint from theirlens when the other stopped to take a survey.
Oh! if he would only look toward the island now; for Thad was alreadywaving his handkerchief up and down, and ready to make a certain signalwhich had often been used as a sign of importance between himself andthis chum from Maine. Once Allan detected it, he would know instantlythat the person waving was the scout-master, and that he had news ofgreat importance to communicat
e.
But it seemed as if Allan were devoting all his attention to the otherquarter, where he doubtless anticipated seeing the second signalmanbegin to tell him that the station was ready to receive messages.
Still, knowing that three of the patrol had gone that very morning tothe mysterious island, to investigate further into the strange things itseemed to hide, it would seem that presently Allan _must_ turn his head,and sweep the shore of the same with his glasses.
Ordinary curiosity should cause him to do that; Thad thought as hewaited; waving his handkerchief and fixing his eyes on the far-awayfigure of the khaki-clad scout with the flags.
He even found himself hoping that the one sent to a more distant stationmight meet with some unexpected delay on the way; so that, becomingweary of looking for a sign, Allan would presently amuse himself bytaking a view of other quarters.
Five minutes later, and Thad's heart gave a throb. He could see that hiswish was coming true, for the sun flashed more brightly than ever as itglanced from the moving lens of the field glass. Allan was now surveyingthe landscape around him, and gradually his attention must be drawingnearer the island.
So Thad began to make the circular movement, followed by a downwardplunge of his handkerchief, that would surprise Allan when he noticedit, for he was bound to understand what it signified.
A few seconds of suspense, and then Thad breathed with relief.
He had seen the other focus his glasses straight toward the tree, in thedead upper branches of which, he, Thad, was clinging, and wildly wavinghis improvised signal flag.
"He sees me! Good for that!" Thad said to himself; while his heart waspounding wildly within its prison, because of the excitement that hadseized him in its grip.