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"Can we make the pond, Jim?" asked Thad. "Not the bigpond," Jim called back; "but there's a little one about half way."_The Boy Scouts in the Maine Woods_ _Page 241_]
THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE MAINE WOODS
OR
THE NEW TEST FOR THE SILVER FOX PATROL
By HERBERT CARTER
Author of "The Boy Scouts First Camp Fire," "The Boy Scouts in theBlue Ridge," "The Boy Scouts on the Trail," "The Boy Scouts Throughthe Big Timber," "The Boy Scouts In the Rockies"
A. L. BURT COMPANY
NEW YORK
Copyright, 1913
By A. L. Burt Company
THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE MAINE WOODS.
THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE MAINE WOODS
CHAPTER I.
AFLOAT ON THE WINDING AROOSTOOK.
"I tell you, Bumpus Hawtree, I can do it as easy as turn my hand over,once I get the hang of the thing!"
"Oh! you don't say so, Giraffe? Here you've been trying for these threedays past, with your silly old bow and stick, twirling away like anorgan grinder; and never so much as struck a single spark of fire yet."
"Well, you see, there are a whole lot of things about the thing I don'tknow."
"Sure there are. You can do everything but the right thing. You spinthat stick with the point that fits in the hole you made in that blockof wood, like fun; but your fine tinder don't even smoke, as far as Ican see."
"Huh! you'll see it do more than that, and before the end of this Mainetrip, I'll give you to understand, Bumpus."
"Oh! will I? How kind of you, Giraffe."
"You needn't say that like you didn't believe I'd ever beat it out. I'vemade fires ten different ways, and you know that. And listen to me--I'mjust bound to get one going in that South Sea Island method we've readabout, 'or give up trying!' You hear me, Bumpus?"
"No trouble about that, Giraffe. Tell you what I'll do, though, in thegenerosity of my heart--make a wager with you about that fire business;and it's a treat of ice-cream for the crowd, for the loser."
"I take you on that," quickly snapped back the long-legged Boy Scout whowas curled up in the stern of the canvas canoe that was being pushedalong by the energetic arms of a sturdy guide, as straight as his namewas the opposite, it being Eli Crooks.
"Then let's have a clear understanding," observed the fat lad, squattingrather awkwardly in the bow of the same craft; "say, you other fellows,d'ye hear what we're talking about?" and he raised his voice a trifle,so that the occupants of the two other boats that were close by, mightlisten; just as if they had not been keeping their ears wide open; forwhen Bumpus and Giraffe got into a hot argument, there was generallyplenty of fun in the air.
One of the other canoes contained three scouts, as could be told fromvarious parts of their khaki uniforms that they wore, even when off on ahunting trip. The clear-eyed fellow who seemed to be in charge of theparty was Thad Brewster; one of his companions was known as Step HenBingham, because, as a little chap he had insisted at school that wasthe way his name should be spelled, while the third was an exceedinglywiry boy, Davy Jones by name, and who had always been a human monkeywhen it came to athletics, climbing trees, and doing all sorts of queerstunts.
In the third boat was a shorter Maine guide, a sort of slow chap whocame by the name of Jim Hasty just as the other did that of Crooks; andthe scout with him was Allan Hollister, a lad born in the very Statethey were now exploring; and who assisted the scoutmaster in his duties.
All these six boys belonged to the Silver Fox Patrol connected with atroop of scouts located in a New York town called Cranford. Two more hadbeen unable to take the Maine trip, which had already carried the bunchthrough some adventurous times in another part of the State, whitherthey had first gone in order to overtake a gentleman just then moosehunting, and with whom Thad had to get in touch for certain businessreasons.
Now they were on the Aroostook River, the three boats, as well as theparty, having been transported from Grindstone by rail, and launched atthe junction of the Masardis with the first mentioned stream.
One of the guides having been brought up in this region, had promisedthe boys rare sport, if only they would trust to his judgment in thematter. The trip was of indefinite length, the only stipulation beingthat they should not go outside the United States, when approaching theNew Brunswick border along the great St. Johns River.
All of them seemed to be just bubbling over with enthusiasm and spirits.With a new voyage before them, plenty to eat aboard the canoes, gunswith which to secure game, tents provided by Jim Hasty at his home town;and "everything lovely, while the goose hung high," as Bumpus had putit, really there was no excuse for any of the scouts to feel downcast.
In their former trip around the Penobscot region the boys had had thegood fortune to be chiefly instrumental in causing the arrest of acouple of fleeing yeggmen, who had broken into several banks, and forwhose arrest quite a decent reward was offered. Not only that, but theyhad recovered valuable bonds and papers, that would undoubtedly causethe bank officials to back up the offer they had made, which was to theeffect that two thousand dollars would be paid to the parties returningthe said bonds, and no questions asked.
Bumpus had been the one who seemed chiefly concerned over this moneymatter; for it happened that the fat scout wanted dearly to visit theFar West, and was always talking of California, together with the gameto be met with in the famous Rock Mountains. And with this windfallcoming to their almost exhausted treasure box, it now seemed as thoughthe Silver Fox Patrol might get away when the next vacation came around.
Giraffe, the boy with the long neck, which he could twist around in away his comrades despaired of ever imitating, had one particularweakness. He was a regular fire worshipper. They depended on Giraffe tostart the fires, whether a cooking blaze or the big camp-fire aroundwhich they loved to sit or lie, after supper was over.
Many times did Thad have to caution him about his recklessness in thisregard; and his vigilance increased, now that they were in a State whereforest preservation was of such moment that a special fire warden, withmany assistants, was employed, to see that the laws were strictlyenforced; and intending hunters were not allowed to go forth withoutbeing accompanied by a licensed guide, to make sure that all fires wereutterly extinguished before breaking camp.
Of course, when Giraffe took it upon himself to find out if he could notmake a fire after every known method, there was more or less fun for thecrowd. But he had proved that his studies in this direction were worthwhile; for he had used flint and steel, matches, a burning glass for thesun to do the business, and various other methods with stunning success.
But he had thus far been "stumped" as he himself expressed it, when itcame to starting a blaze after the formula of the South Sea Islanders.His little bow was made according to directions, and would whirl thepointed stick with tremendous force in the basin that had the hole inthe bottom; but thus far, just as Bumpus so exultantly declared, theaspiring Giraffe had failed to accomplish the object he had in view.
"Well, now," remarked Giraffe, "since you've got all the bears and moosein the Aroostook country to listen, suppose you go and explain whatwe're driving at, Bumpus," when the other boys had declared that theyheard the whole argument.
"The wager is cream for the crowd at the first chance," the fat boy wenton, with pointed emphasis. "Giraffe says he can start a fire with thatbunty little bow of his, and the twirling stick that heats things up,and makes the fine tinder
take fire--when you've got the hang of things.He's got to do it before we wind up this particular trip; and at a timewhen one or more of us are on deck to act as witnesses. Hear that,fellows?"
"What he says are the exact conditions," added the confident Giraffe."And just make up your minds I'm going to do that same stunt yet. Why,half a dozen times already I've been pretty close to getting fire; butsomething always seemed to happen just at the last minute. Once mybowstring sawed through. Another time the plaguey stick burst. ThenBumpus had to fall all over me just when I felt sure the spark was goingto come in the tinder. And the last time, you may remember, when I sangout that I had it, why, down came that heavy rain, and put me out ofbusiness."
A general laugh followed these complaining remarks from the tall scout.
"Looks like you might be hoodooed, Giraffe," said Davy Jones.
"All right, no matter what's the matter, if grit and perseverance canaccomplish the business, you'll see it done in great style sooner orlater!" cried Giraffe, who could be quite determined when he chose.
"Then let's hope it will be sooner," remarked Step Hen; "because youknow him well enough to understand that we'll have no peace of our livestill he either gets his little fire started, or else makes a failure ofthe game."
"Anyhow," broke in Allan from the rear, "no matter how it comes out, therest of us stand to have a free feast later on. It's 'heads I win, tailsyou lose,' for the balance of the Silver Fox Patrol. And in advance, wehand our united thanks to Bumpus; or will it be Giraffe?"
"And," Bumpus went on, calmly; "while Giraffe is worrying his poor oldhead over that puzzle every time we get settled in camp, I'll beimproving each shining hour like the busy little bee, trying out my newgun. Told you fellows, I was going to invest the first chance I got; andhere's my brand new double barrel; that's guaranteed, the man said, toknock the spots out of any big game that I hold it on."
"Huh!" grunted Giraffe, who seemed a trifle grumpy on account of havinghis fire-making abilities made fun of, for he was quite touchy on thatscore; "chances are, it'll knock spots out of you, first of all, or giveyou a few to remember it by, if you go and get excited, and pull bothtriggers at once, as you're likely to do, if I know you at all, Bumpus."
"What in the wide world did you go and get a big ten bore for, whenyou're such a short fellow?" asked Thad, who had often wanted to findout about this particular subject.
Bumpus, who was fondling his new possession, grinned rather sheepishly.
"Well," he remarked, "you see, Thad's Marlin, and Davy's gun are bothtwelve guage, and I thought we ought to have variety in the crowd, so Igot a ducking gun. Besides, I knew it would be better when I came toshoot buckshot in it, just like I've got in the chambers right now,ready for any old moose bull that chooses to show up. And in fact,fellows, it was the only sort of shotgun I could buy, unless I took oneof them pump guns; and I just couldn't think of working all thatmachinery when I get so rattled, you know."
"Please keep that blunderbuss pointed the other way, Bumpus," said StepHen.
"Yes, for goodness' sake don't you turn it around here!" called outGiraffe. "If ever you blew a hole in the bottom of this canvas canoe,we'd go down like a stone."
"I'd be sorry for that," remarked Bumpus, still fondling his newpurchase lovingly, although he kept it pointed ahead, as directed;"because, you see, we've got a lot of good grub aboard this canoe, andit might get soaked."
"Huh! thinking of the grub before you take me into consideration, areyou?" grunted Giraffe; and perhaps he might have said more, only just atthat instant Eli turned his head and made a remark to him which causedthe long-necked boy to lift his head, and then shout out excitedly:
"A bear! A bear! over there on the bank ahead!"
"Oh! where did I put my gun?" almost shrieked Step Hen, who was forevermisplacing things, and then finding them again in the most unexpectedplaces.
"Bumpus, knock him over! There's the best chance to try your new gun youever saw! Let him have it, you silly!" roared Giraffe.
The fat boy heard all the clamor. He also sighted the lumbering bear,which, after taking one good look at the approaching canoes, turned toshuffle back again into the shelter of the protecting brush, as thoughhe did not much fancy any closer acquaintance with the two-leggedoccupants.
Bumpus scrambled to his knees. He was trembling like a leaf shaken inthe gale; but nevertheless managed to clumsily throw the double-barrelto his shoulder, after pulling back both hammers.
They saw him bend his chubby neck, as though to sight along the barrels.Then a tremendous explosion occurred, as though a young cannon had beenfired; and the next instant Bumpus went over flat on his back, among theduffle with which the canoe was loaded, his feet coming into view as helanded among the blankets, and the packages of food, secured in therubber ponchos to keep them from getting wet.