CHAPTER XXV BAD LUCK, AND GOOD
Andy looked again and rubbed his eyes. It was certainly the mostastonishing thing he could remember running across in all hisexperience, and only went to prove how deceptive appearances may be attimes. But it gave him a shock to think that such a nice-looking oldparty, with a ring to his laugh, could underneath the outer veneer besuch a desperate schemer as to want to blow up bridges and destroytrains and all such horrible things, just because he happened to havesome German ancestors.
Really, Andy had already made up his mind that if he felt absolutelycompelled to use his weapon at all he would confine his attentions tothat swarthy chap, and leave the merry individual to others; for he feltpositive that if he did anything to injure that jovial party he wouldnever forgive himself. Which, under the circumstances, was exceedinglythoughtful and kind of Andy; and doubtless, if ever he ventured toconfess as to what his magnanimous thoughts had been, he would find thathis resolution was much appreciated.
Possibly Rob, too, was staring wonderingly at the occupants of that campclose to the border; for he must have been as much surprised as his chumat the unexpected mild appearance of the two desperadoes. Before hecould find a chance to give vent to his feelings something came to passthat prevented their exchanging opinions.
Andy tugged at Rob’s sleeve and whispered in an awed tone:
“Look there, will you, Rob; Zeb’s got rattled, and he’s bound to breakup the whole bully scheme!”
They suddenly saw the lanky Maine guide standing up beyond the camp. Hedid not appear to care whether he was seen or not, judging from theboldness of his actions. It grew worse instead of better, for even whilethey looked what should Zeb do but start directly toward the fire!
At first Andy thought the other meant to attack the pair seated there,without waiting for any signal, which might be a piece of boldness onhis part, but would also be disobeying the orders of the lieutenant.Then Andy had reason to stare some more and change his mind, for to hisutter amazement Zeb trailed his rifle under his arm, when by rights acareful man would certainly have held it in such a position that itwould be ready for quick work in case of necessity.
Would wonders never cease? Andy asked himself, as he continued to crouchthere. First, there was the astonishing appearance of the chief villain,and now here was Zeb acting as though he had actually lost his head andmeant to commit suicide.
Straight along came the woods guide. He looked solemn enough; indeed,Andy even thought Zeb had the appearance of a man who was up forsentence before a judge, and meant to throw himself on the mercy of thecourt.
Then Andy discovered that the dark-faced conspirator had discovered thecoming of Zeb, which would indicate that he possessed pretty keenhearing. But how was this, that he did not instantly fly to where thosetwo guns rested against the trunk of the pine near by and prepare togive the intruder a hot reception?
Andy saw that he must have said something to the larger man, for theother quickly looked toward Zeb. Neither did he show any sign of suddenand overwhelming alarm. Indeed, he even smiled broadly, and looked_pleased_, which about completed Andy’s confusion. The mystery wasreally too deep for him, though when he heard Rob chuckling close by, hebegan to fancy that the scout master was able to read between the linesbetter than he had been.
It grew even more mysterious when Andy saw Zeb, their friend Zeb,actually hold out his hand and take the extended digits of thesolemn-looking dark-faced man, whose straight figure and black hair madethe boy suspect that he might well have some Indian blood in his veins.
Now Zeb was facing the large man, who still sat there and listened towhat the Maine woodsman might be saying. When he, too, finally reachedup his hand and Zeb eagerly pounced upon it, all at once the wonderfultruth broke in upon the bewildered Andy just as a flash of lightningmight dart from the clouds to the earth during a storm.
Why, these were not desperate conspirators they had discovered, at all.Their work had been for nothing, save that it was good practice forscouts to be given a chance to show what they could do in the way ofcreeping up on a suspected enemy’s camp. That man with the bronzed skinwas Sebattis, the Penobscot guide, and the jovial party, to be sure, hecould be no other than Tubby’s Uncle George!
It was a pretty severe shock to Andy when this burst upon him sosuddenly.
“Well, what d’ye think of that, Rob?” he gasped. “After all, we’ve runacross Uncle George and his other guide; and Zeb’s in his good gracesagain. Well, we’re certainly in hard luck one way, and in good another.I’m sorry for you, lieutenant, but we’ve struck the wrong party. We knowthis gentleman, who is a rich sportsman. If you look sharp you will seea moose head over there, which shows that, after all, Uncle Georgemanaged to get the big bull. Good for him!”
The soldier was keenly disappointed to learn that their fine plans hadbeen wasted; but as Rob expected, he was made of the right kind of stuffand could take things as they came, the bitter with the sweet.
“We’re certainly stumped, boys,” was what the officer remarked, with ashort laugh, such as spoke of chagrin, “if, as you say, this party isone of your friends; he certainly doesn’t look much like a desperado, Imust confess. I was trying hard to picture him in such a fiendish raid,but couldn’t manage it, any way I figured. But let’s step up and meetthe gentleman. I imagine we stand no chance whatever now of being ableto cut off the flight of those cowardly curs.”
The three boys were only too glad to avail themselves of theopportunity. Of course, Rob’s and Andy’s first thought was of Tubby, andhow delighted the fat chum would be to learn they had run across hisrelative. They would have something of importance to tell Uncle George,too.
By now the big sportsman was on his feet, for he saw strangers advancingtoward his camp fire from two different directions; and, being ahospitable soul, Uncle George’s first thought was to welcome them to thegenial blaze, in true sportsman style.
He looked keenly at the two boys in khaki.
“Hello!” he remarked with a chuckle. “I’ve got a nephew who’s proud tobe wearing that khaki cloth, and on his account I’m glad to see you.”
“How d’ye do, Uncle George?” Andy coolly remarked, as he shook hands,and it was almost comical to see the gentleman stare at him as hehastened to say:
“Well, you seem to know my name, all right, my boy, which strikes me asrather singular. How do you explain that?”
“Oh, Tubby has talked so much about you that we’re all calling you UncleGeorge, sir, begging your pardon for being so familiar,” explainedaudacious Andy, with one of his widest grins.
“‘Tubby’!” exclaimed the gentleman. “Why, you must mean my nephew,Robert Hopkins. I remember that his chums do call him by some suchoutlandish name. You know him, then, which indicates that I was mistakenwhen I placed you as Canadian Boy Scouts. I reckon you must live inHampton, down on Long Island?”
“Just what we do, sir,” Rob took occasion to remark. “I’m Rob Blake, andthis is Andy Bowles, both members of the same Eagle Patrol that Tubbybelongs to. You will be still more surprised, I take it, sir, when youlearn that your nephew is not over a mile or so away from this spotright now.”
“You amaze me, my boy. Whatever brought him away up here in thewilderness? Please explain the mystery, Rob.”
“I can do that in a few sentences, Mr. Hopkins,” said the scout leader;and with that he told about the paper that it was so necessary for UncleGeorge to sign before a certain date; and how school being dismissed fortwo weeks, Tubby and his chums had been dispatched up into Maine to findthe sportsman.
This satisfied the gentleman, but there were other mysteries waiting tobe explained. He wondered how the boys had met the Canadian soldiers,and why they should all be creeping up on his little camp in such astealthy fashion.
So Rob thought it just as well to tell him about the amazing things thathad happened. Swiftly Rob brought the story down to where the patrioticchums, together w
ith Zeb and Donald, had succeeded in severing thenecessary wire, and thus prevented the awful plot from being carriedout.
All of this must have been highly entertaining to Uncle George, to judgefrom the smile on his face, and the many chuckles in which he indulgedfrom time to time. When Rob finished the account the sportsman shookhands all around again and then freed his mind.
“It was excellently carried out, boys, most wonderfully executed, infact, and I’m certain this gentleman feels under heavy obligations toyou all. Donald never would have managed to get over in time to givewarning, only for you. Consequently the saving of the bridge, and themunition train as well, lies at your door. I’m also proud of the factthat you are loyal Americans, and that you considered it your boundenduty to stand up for patriotism as you did. Robert will be dearer to methan ever after this, for he seems to be a boy after my own heart.”
Then he turned to the lieutenant again, and went on to say in hiscordial way:
“I hope this will only be another cause for cementing the friendship ofthe two great English-speaking races. We have thousands of our boys OverThere in the French war trenches, and in the aviation corps, as well aswith the Red Cross, doing their bit for humanity and the great cause ofa peace that will bless the whole civilized world for ages, and Ihonestly believe that before long our country will be your ally in thisstruggle. Now, sir, before you think of starting back to your duty allowme to offer you a cup of hot coffee, and anything in the way ofrefreshment my larder affords.”
The officer was anxious to return with as little delay as possible, forhe felt that he had a weighty responsibility resting on his shoulders;but it was hard to resist that smile and those winning ways; so heagreed to linger for, say, half an hour longer. Rob said he, Andy andDonald also would return with him when he went, for they wished torejoin their chum.
Andy was soon seen examining the monster moose head with its broadhorns, and on observing his action the gentleman sportsman called out:
“I’ve been after that fellow for several seasons now, my boy, and thisyear we looked for him over at the Tucker Pond; but he led us quite achase, and we only potted him here this afternoon, while swinging aroundon the way back to the logging camp.”
“Well,” remarked Andy, laughing, “we weren’t even looking for him, buthe paid us a visit, all the same, we’ve got reason to believe,” and thenhe related how their brush shanty had been partly demolished by the rushof a giant moose, which account amused Uncle George greatly.
CHAPTER XXVI EVERYBODY SATISFIED
Taken in all, they spent quite a pleasant half hour with Uncle George.Somehow his coffee, brewed there in the camp where his moose trophy lay,seemed to taste like nectar to all concerned.
It turned out, by the way, that the affair was kept quiet as much aspossible, for strategic reasons. Perhaps the authorities up in Ottawabelieved that to draw a veil of secrecy over the matter would be apt todeter others from attempting similar desperate exploits, where broadpublicity might encourage them for the sake of the notoriety it wouldbring.
Later on the boys, together with the lieutenant and his two men, startedfor the bridge. Zeb, having been once more reinstated in the good gracesof his employer—who had heard all about his return, from Rob insecret—remained in camp, and seemed overjoyed at having his old berthback again. He did not say much to Rob and Andy, being a man of fewwords, but the way in which he squeezed their hands spoke volumes. Zebhad certainly come to think highly of the scouts in the short time heknew them.
They had no trouble in covering the distance separating them from therailway embankment. They saw nothing of those whom they had hoped tocome upon. The fugitives must have managed to get across the line insome fashion.
Tubby was pleased when he heard the signal that told him the otherEagles were close at hand. His astonishment and delight can be easilyimagined upon their telling him how they had met his Uncle George anddrank coffee at his camp fire. The latter was to stay there in themorning until the boys joined him, when the entire party would startafresh, heading for the logging camp.
The lieutenant made his young guests as comfortable as the limitedconditions allowed. He really felt under heavy obligations toward thetrio of scouts from across the line, and would never forget them, hepromised.
When morning came they concluded to make an early start, for UncleGeorge had hinted that he would like to have them join him at breakfast.So good-bye’s were said, and Donald McGuffey looked quite downcast atparting from the three splendid fellows whom he had come to likeexceedingly well during the course of their short acquaintance; for boysget on familiar terms ten times as quickly as men ever do.
Donald had only one burning regret, which was that his years would notpermit him enlisting in one of the battalions forming to go across theseas.
“I’m big for my age,” were his last words, as he wrung the hand of Andylike a pump handle, “and if this war only keeps up twa mair years, yeken, I’ll more’n likely be allowed to enlist, so as to have a whack atthe beasts beyond the seas.”
While the scouts may not have felt exactly the same as Donald did, fornaturally he was prejudiced by his birth and surroundings, still theygave him credit for valor, as they had seen him put to the test and comethrough with flying colors. But at the same time they sincerely hopedthe terrible carnage would be long over before the Scotch-Canadian boy,who came of a race of fighters, arrived at an age when he might beaccepted as a recruit.
They reached the camp of the moose in time to join Uncle George atbreakfast, which meal had been postponed a little on account of theirexpected arrival. Tubby was as happy a chap as any one could well seewhen he shook hands with his uncle, and was then and there embraced bythe veteran sportsman. Tubby actually reddened with confusion, but noone could resist the cheery laugh of Uncle George, and this action onhis part told how his chubby nephew had risen in his regard.
As the gentleman was very wealthy, and had no children of his own, slyAndy later on told Tubby he ought to consider himself a very luckyfellow indeed; which insidious remark caused honest Tubby to indignantlysay he never had the faintest thought of getting in the good graces ofhis uncle for any pecuniary benefit that might accrue to him.
After a jolly breakfast they started for the logging camp. Uncle Georgekept Tubby and Andy busy relating many interesting things that hadhappened to the scouts, not only on this momentous occasion but underother conditions.
“It strikes me,” was the opinion Uncle George advanced later on, when hehad listened with tremendous interest to accounts of their differentvisits, “that fortune has picked you boys as her especial favorites. Youhave been given the most wonderful opportunities for _doing things_!Yes, and while you are all so modest about boasting of your achievementsI can read between the lines and understand why success so often percheson your banner. It is partly because you deserve it; but in the main I’minclined to believe the principal factor in your success comes from thefact that in Rob Blake here you have an ideal leader, who knows hisbusiness from alpha to omega, the beginning and the end of scoutcraft!”
At that splendid endorsement Rob turned fiery red, and tried to disclaimany greater share of the credit than each one of his chums was fairlyentitled to; but both Andy and Tubby vociferously negatived thisassertion and assured shrewd Uncle George that he had “hit the nailsquarely on the head.”
What a glorious week the boys did pass in that lumber camp! The daysseemed far too short to encompass all the “stunts” they had planned bythe light of the preceding night’s jolly fire, where it was their habitto sit around and listen to Uncle George relate some of the peculiaradventures in his long and adventurous life. In turn, they would tellhim further incidents connected with their doings as scouts.
How they did hate to say good-bye when it became necessary to break awayfrom that hallowed spot, which would always remain green in theirmemories since some of the happiest days of their lives were spentthere! But th
at important paper had to be taken back in due time, UncleGeorge having gone over to the nearest town on the border to sign thesame in the presence of a justice and notary. Besides, most cruelthought of all, school would commence the following week, if theepidemic had been gotten under control, and they could not be excusedfrom their classes simply because the hunting was fine up in Maine.
Of course, in such stirring times those wide-awake scouts of Hamptonwere more than likely to see further happenings come their way; andshould any of these be worthy of placing before the reader, be sure thatpleasing duty will not long be withheld. Until such time arrives thismust suffice.
THE END.
Footnotes
[1]See “Boy Scouts Under Sealed Orders” and “Boy Scouts for Preparedness.”
Transcriber’s Notes
--Copyright notice provided as in the original printed text—this e-text is public domain in the country of publication.
--Silently corrected palpable typos.
--Moved illustrations closer to the corresponding text.
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