Every one of the three scouts, waiting at the fence to assist Ty over, should he be fortunate enough to arrive ahead of the enraged bull, held his breath with suspense.
They could easily see that at the rate of progress made by their unfortunate chum, he must certainly be overtaken before he could arrive and have a chance to clamber over that high and stout rail fence, supposed to be bull proof.
But they failed to take into consideration the fact that Ty had profited more than a little from his connection with the scouts. And, besides, all through his exciting race with that owner of the wicked little black horns, he had kept in mind the last instructions shouted across the field by Elmer, the boy who had spent a part of his life on a cattle ranch and farm, and was supposed to know all about the habits of the animals.
"Oh, he's sure a goner!" gasped Landy, as they saw the rapidly advancing bull draw nearer and nearer the frantic runner. "Poor old Ty; I wonder will we be able to catch him on the fly!"
Landy was evidently thinking of baseball, though his excitement was so great that he hardly knew just what was passing through his mind.
"Look at that, will you?" burst from Ted.
Ty had waited until all hope of gaining the fence seemed to have fled. Over his shoulder he could see his terrible enemy closing in and apparently putting on greater speed. If anything was to be done it must be accomplished without the loss of another second.
It was then that he suddenly drew something from the bosom of his outing shirt. This "something" proved to be that old red sweater which he had refused to leave in the crotch of the friendly tree, into the branches of which he had hurriedly climbed at the time he was first beset.
He waved the flaming garment wildly about his head in order to make sure that it caught the eye of the bull; and once that was done it might be put down as certain that the animal would see nothing else than that hated color.
"Wow! He's done it!" cried Landy, as his fat face was pressed tight against the rails of the fence, between which he had an uninterrupted view of the proceedings.
Ty had thrown the red sweater aside.
It floated to the ground as the slight breeze caught its extended folds, and must have presented quite an inviting picture to the inflamed orbs of the bull.
Would he stop short to pay attention to the object of his wrath, forgetting all about the boy who was fleeing toward safety? Elmer did not once doubt it. He knew that this was a familiar trick among the picadors in the arena during a Spanish bullfight; and one that seldom fails, if properly carried out.
Still, he held his breath with anxiety during that brief space of time; for if the trick did not succeed, Ty would very likely be in for an experience that must prove exceedingly painful, if not positively dangerous.
But the red sweater did not fail its owner. Long had Ty worn that same garment proudly, in spite of jeers and caustic comments on the part of his comrades. And if it were fated to meet destruction at this time, at least it would serve a very useful purpose.
The animal saw the descending flag that incited his anger. Immediately he pulled up short, and began to gore the inoffensive article, thrusting his horns through it, while holding it down with his forefeet at the same time. In this way it was quickly rent into fragments, which the triumphant bull seemed to take great delight in tossing up into the air, as he bellowed with satisfaction.
And so the puffing Ty was enabled to reach the fence. Willing hands were extended to him, and with a rush he found himself drawn to safety.
"Hurrah!" cheered Landy. "You beat him to a frazzle, Ty! That was as clever a little trick as I ever heard tell of."
"All right," grunted the saved one, as he glared venomously between the rails of the fence; "but would you see what he's doing to my fine old sweater? That makes me feel sick. Two years now I've worn that, and she was sure good for another."
"But, man alive, think of what he would have done to you only for that sweater!" exclaimed the fat boy.
"Vat's de madder mit you, Ty?" demanded Adam, who looked at things without the least bit of sentiment; "you pet my life I vould pe gladder as anydings if I pe in your blace. Let der pull alone; he's enchoying himself. Shake vonce on dot narrow escape. Py chimineddy! Mine heart it vas yump in my throat yust as you throw dot sweater avay!"
But Ty refused to be consoled. The sight of the animal running around as if looking for him, with a sad portion of the beloved sweater fastened to one of his ugly little horns, made him grit his teeth.
"Huh!" he said, disdainfully. "You fellers just think it's fine because you never did appreciate that beautiful old sweater; but if you think you're going to get free from seeing me look like myself, you've got another guess coming, that's what. Say, d'ye think I'm going to let an old one-eyed bull knock me out of wearing what I fancy? If I feel like it I'll put on six red coats."
"Hath he got only one eye, Ty?" asked Ted, eagerly.
"That's a fact, boys; didn't I see it glaring up at me time and again, when the sly old critter'd pretend to be eating grass, and hoping I'd come down," Ty answered, promptly enough.
"Then jutht think what might have happened to you, my thon, if the old bull had happened to potheth two eyeth," remarked Ted, soberly.
Ty would not even smile, he was so angry at the sacrifice of his garment. Climbing up on the topmost rail of the fence, he shook his fist at the prancing bull, and even shouted all sorts of things at him.
"That don't wind it up, not by a long sight!" he declared. "I know where I can get a better sweater than that old one, and for three dollars, too. I've got that and more in my bank at home; and the very first thing I do when I get back will be to bust that same bank open and go down to Selfridge's department store. Oh, have all the fun you want with it, you one-eyed beast; but some day perhaps I'll get even with you!"
"Better forget all that, Ty," remarked Elmer, coming up at this moment. "You had ought to be so tickled over making such a narrow escape that you'd never bother your head over the loss of that worn-out old thing."
"Worn-out nothing," declared the aroused Ty. "I could have had good use out of that sweater this fall, in football. But never mind; I know just what I'm going to do about it."
"Nothing foolish, I hope," observed the patrol leader, as he cast an apprehensive glance toward the bull.
"Buy that other red sweater that's hung in the window of our big store this month and more. Perhaps, after all, I may not be so sorry, because it's much brighter than that old one; and some of the boys will let out a howl when they first see me in it."
Ty actually allowed a grin to appear on his face at the thought of this; which would apparently indicate that his anger was not so very deep after all.
"Anyhow," continued Elmer, "I want to tell you, Ty, old fellow, that you did that little trick as fine as silk!"
"D'ye think so, Elmer?" remarked the other, looking pleased; for what boy does not like the appreciation of his fellows?
"You certainly did. I've seen cowboys go through with that act many a time, but never any better than you did it," Elmer went on to say. "The only thing I was afraid of was, you might throw it in such a doubled-up way that it would not catch the eye of the bull. But you shook it out all right; and once he saw it he could look at nothing else after that."
"Say, I did that on purpose, sure I did, Elmer," declared Ty, eagerly. "Seemed to me that it was the proper caper to try. And she worked all right, too. But look here, fellows, he put his horns through that blessed old tin milk pail the farmer's women folks loaned us. She's a wreck; and anyhow we couldn't get in there by the tree to pick it up. What's to be done about it, tell me that?"
"Oh, there's only one thing to be done," laughed Elmer, taking out half a dollar and thrusting it into the hand of Ty. "We've just got to pay for the lost pail and borrow another one. That's part of the funds we raised before starting out. Are you still going to get that milk, Ty?"
"Am I? Say, twenty bulls couldn't stop me, once I start on a thing. Milk we want for our breakfast, and milk we're going to have, you mark me," said Ty, stubbornly.
"Shake on that!" laughed Landy.
"Oxcuse me, off you blease," spoke up Adam with a sly grin; "put is dot vat you galls a milk-shake?"
Elmer laughed, and at the same time looked suspiciously at the German; for somehow he was fast coming to the conclusion that Adam might be smarter than his stolid appearance indicated. In fact, he believed that the German often put on an air of extreme innocence when in fact he was enjoying a sly little joke.
"He'll bear watching," was what Elmer said to himself, as he heard the other laughing uproariously at his own humor, while squeezing the hands of his new chums.
"But, Ty," the patrol leader remarked, with a twinkle in his own eye, "you've learned one thing, I think."
"Sure. Always to see that there's a tree in a field before trying to cross over," said the other, quickly.
"Well, that's a good motto, I suppose," remarked Elmer; "but that wasn't what I meant. You know now that many times the longest way around is the shortest way to the fire. After this you'll think twice before taking a short cut."
"I'll squint around for anything in the shape of a bull, anyway," chuckled Ty.
The animal had succeeded in demolishing the offensive garment by this time, and as if to show his utter contempt for the whole bunch of boys, he started to crop the short, sweet grass where he happened to be standing. Whenever he came upon a tattered fragment of the illy treated sweater, he would give it a toss, utter a defiant bellow, paw the ground a little, and then calmly resume his feeding.
But doubtless all the while he was watching the boys beyond the fence out of a corner of his eye. Elmer knew that this must be so, for he noticed that the animal always kept his head turned toward them.
"He vas as mad as some hornets," remarked Adam, who seemed to be particularly interested in the actions of the bull, for he kept peering through the fence. "Aber I haf a red sweater I vould see if he likes to yump at me. Oxcuse me, Elmer, put let me haf de loan off dis."
He deftly took the bandana handkerchief from the hands of the patrol leader, as Elmer was about to fasten it once more around his own neck; for he had used it to attract the attention of the bull, it may be remembered, when at the other side of the field; and events had followed so rapidly since, that he had not found a chance to replace the handkerchief where it belonged.
"Hold on, no foolish business, Adam!" cried Elmer, clutching a leg of the German as he started to mount the fence.
"Nein! I haf no vish to get me a grafeyard in kevick," Adam declared. "Only I vould like to see if dot pad egg oudt in der field vould run at me like he dood at Ty. You pet my life I vill not yump inside de fence; and dot's no choke, Elmer."
Accordingly, Elmer released his clutch, and the stout German climbed nimbly to the top of the fence. Here he began to wave the handkerchief in the most brazen manner, at the same time calling out defiantly at the animal.
At first the bull refused to listen, but kept on grazing; though doubtless the sight of the hated color was working upon him.
"See him edging this way, would you, the sly old sinner!" called Landy.
"He's getting ready for a rush," remarked Elmer.
"Look out, Adam; be ready to drop off there!" cried Landy.
"And be thure not to take the wrong thide, or you'll be in for it!" admonished Ted, a little nervously.
Suddenly the beast threw off the mask, so to speak. He made a plunge, and was immediately in motion, coming with lowered head on the full run, and heading for the spot where Adam stood on the fence flaunting that flag of defiance.
"He's off!" yelled Landy. "Jump, Adam, before he knocks you into the field! Oh, ain't he just the limit, though; and as mad as they make 'em! Jump, why don't you? Elmer make him come down! Perhaps he's got his foot caught, and can't drop out!"
CHAPTER V.
"Jump, Adam!" called Elmer.
The German had waited as long as he dared, and as if the voice of the patrol leader gave him the sign, he suddenly made a backward spring, turned a somersault in the air, just as he had done from the springboard when swimming, and landed squarely on his feet.
Crash!
That was the bull striking head-on against the fence. And it was fortunate for the other boys, as well as Adam, perhaps, that the owner of the bull had made that fence additionally strong. Had it given way before the onslaught of the animal the chances were Elmer and his mates would have had to do some lively running to get clear.
But the fence held, though it wabbled suspiciously, and Elmer felt sure that a few more such blows must have demolished the barrier completely.
"Don't you wish you could, old fellow?" taunted Landy, after he had made sure of the fact that the animal was going to be held back.
The bull looked through the fence, snorted, pawed the earth, and let out an angry bellow. Then he walked disdainfully away, as though satisfied with the victory he had gained, that one fragment of the torn red sweater still floating from his horn, just for all the world, as Ty remarked, "like a flag at half mast."
"Come, let's hike back to camp, boys," remarked Elmer, moving off, "and finish getting our breakfast ready. By the time Ty manages to come along we'll be fixed for business."
"Oh, I'll show up in decent shape, all right," remarked the other. "This time I'll take no rash chances in crossing fields. Around the fence is good enough for me, I guess."
He was as prompt as his word, and came along with his pail of fresh milk just as Elmer was beating the tattoo on the frying pan that summoned the party to breakfast.
"What did they say up at the farmer's, Ty!" asked Landy.
"Not guilty," replied the other, who was cramming his mouth with a portion of the flapjacks Elmer had made, and which were really fine.
"Now, what's the use of giving us puzzles to solve!" complained the fat boy, as he speared his second helping from the tin platter, and proceeded to deluge the same with some maple syrup that had been brought along in a bottle. "Not guilty of what, say!"
"That ain't their bull, you see," remarked Ty.
"And tho they declined to buy you a new thweater, ith that it, Ty?" asked Ted, a little maliciously.
"Oh, rats!" cried the other; "you know right well I'm not built that way, Ted Burgoyne. Never once thought of trying to make anybody pay for my foolishness in trying to cut across a field that had a bull in it. I only mentioned the fact because, you see, I had to explain what happened to their tin bucket, when I was paying for it. But after all they wouldn't accept the money—said it was only an old pail after all, and the farmer he told me I ought to be glad it was the bull, and not me, that kicked the bucket."
"Bully for the farmer!" said Landy, or at least that was what the others took it for granted he meant, since his mouth was so full of flapjack that he could hardly do more than mutter.
After breakfast was over they started to carry out the various duties or pleasures which each fellow had in view. One wanted to take a few pictures, and, of course, this was Landy, though his mates solemnly warned him to be careful what vines he touched while in the woods. Another declared he felt like trying to tempt some of the finny denizens of the river from their beds on this bright morning. This was Adam, and he had brought along a lot of new tackle, as well as a fine jointed rod, to prove that he was as good a fisherman as he was a water dog.
Elmer chose to potter around the camp. There were always plenty of things that could be done to improve conditions and add to the general comfort of those who occupied the tent and cooked at the fireplace made of stones. And having the true sportsman spirit in his composition, he was never more happy than when arranging these many little details connected with the camp.
He improved the fireplace so that the coffee pot would not tilt and threaten to upset from the three metal crossbars that formed a gridiron; he dug the drain at the back of the tent a little deeper, so that in case of a sudden heavy downpour the surplus water would be carried off and not inundate the tent, and, finally, he finished the rude but effective table on which they could place their food at meal times, and even had a couple of short sections of log rolled up so as to take the place of seats when they dined.
Ty, after the breakfast things had been washed up and put away, wandered off somewhere. And Ted was supposed to be fishing farther down the stream, he, too, having expressed a wish for a real fish dinner that night, if so be the bass in the Sweetwater were in a "taking" humor.
Several times when Elmer stood up to rest the muscles of his back, and consider what he would do next, he happened to cast a curious look up to where Adam had taken his position on the bank of the river.
Apparently the fish did not respond to the urgent invitations of the German boy as well as he had expected, or else Adam's education with regard to the ways the American black bass has to be attracted to the bait had been neglected.
For some time he was industriously seen threshing the water as though issuing a call to all the fish in the river to come and have a bite with him. Of course that was just the opposite of what he should have done; for bass are shy and have to be tempted in quietness.
Elmer chuckled to himself when first he noticed what the new scout was doing.
"Looks like Adam is densely ignorant along our ways of fishing," he thought. "Wonder now what kind of fish he's ever caught that style on the other side of the ocean. Perhaps he never wet a line before in all his life. I noticed that he watched Ted closely, and imitated him exactly in setting up his line, even to the float Ted always persists in using."
The third time Elmer looked it was perhaps an hour after Adam had started fishing, and he saw that a change had come over the manner of the young Teuton. He was no longer casting out again and again with a great splashing of the water. On the contrary, he sat astride the tree trunk that jutted out some eight feet above the water. His line ran downstream and the float could be seen bobbing in the midst of the little bubbles that marked an eddy below.
Elmer watched him closely for five minutes, and not once in all that time did he see the other move in the least.
"Well, I declare, I believe the fellow's gone to sleep!" he laughed. "I reckon Adam isn't used to camping out, and on that account he's had poor rest these two nights. And that hot sun is enough to make any fellow feel drowsy, too. Whew, what if he nodded too hard and just dropped off there! Perhaps I'd better go and wake him up. And while I'm about it I can just give him a few pointers as to how he'll have at least a decent chance to coax a few bass to his bait."
Filled with this feeling of comradery toward the new recruit, whom he was fast learning to like because of his constant good-nature and really witty remarks, Elmer started away from the camp.
It just chanced that instead of heading directly for Adam, he walked first of all out to the river bank. Looking downstream he could just see Ted busily engaged in landing a fish that seemed to be fighting hard, and this told that the bass were "on the feed," if only one knew how to attract them.
The idea of that sleepy Adam dozing there and letting the golden harvest time slip by unheeded made Elmer laugh again. He even allowed himself to imagine that it would just about pay Adam right if he crept up and gave his line a sudden tug, to make him think he had a bite.
Just then something moving attracted his attention. It was directly below the boy who sat astraddle of the projecting log, and a little farther downstream.
Ty, why of course it was that party, though minus his distinguishing red sweater, which was now, alas, no more. But what under the sun was he doing there? As near as Elmer could see he appeared to be industriously attaching some bulky object to the end of a line!
All at once what seemed to be the truth burst upon the patrol leader. Ty had also noticed the sleeping Dutchman, and was bent upon having a little joke at the expense of Adam. Yes, he had managed to draw the line of the fisherman in, by the aid of a long stick that had a crotch at the end, and was now fastening a bunch of hemlock browse, done up to represent a big fish, to the end of the same.
When all was ready and the current pulled strongly at the bulky object, possibly the additional strain might arouse Adam, who would immediately think he had hooked a monster bass, and doubtless the ensuing excitement would tickle the joker to the top of his bent.
And if Adam did not wake up himself, it would be easy for Ty to creep under the projecting log until he could reach out and give the line a jerk.
So Elmer concluded that he might as well wait and see the fun. Being a boy himself, he liked anything that partook of clean sport, so long as the joke did not border along the cruel or mean stage.
Now Ty had dropped his artificial fish back into the river. The swift current that ran farther out did not seize upon it at once, for there was an eddy and a rather deep pool at the spot Adam had selected for his fishing. Consequently the pull upon the line did not seem to come up to the expectations of the joker.
Ty crouched there waiting for results.
The minutes passed and all remained peaceful and serene. Adam seemed to be enjoying a lovely sleep. His head was upon his chest and his whole figure appeared to be in a relaxed state.
Twice did Ty rise up to stare at the boy who sat there straddling that log, as though he wondered why Adam did not arouse to the occasion. Plainly, the practical joker would have had his labor for his pains unless something was done to start things moving.
The third time Ty seemed to come to this conclusion himself, for instead of merely observing the sleeping fisherman he started to advance toward him.
At this point the bank of the river was hollowed out somewhat. There was just about enough footing below for an agile boy to clamber along and keep from being precipitated into the water.
Elmer chuckled quietly.
"It's coming," he said to himself, as he prepared to see more or less excitement around that region. "Looks like Adam might be due to a little surprise party."
Ty had finally managed to crawl far enough along the narrow ledge. He was apparently directly below the log that stuck out from the bank above him. Elmer judged this by the way the other craned his neck in order to look up.
"Now he's got his chance, if he can only reach that dangling line!" he thought.
Apparently Ty realized the same thing, for he was seen to be extending that same crotched stick that had before proven so useful.
In this fashion he speedily drew the line in toward him, gently, so as not to arouse the fisherman before he was ready to give him a good hard shock.
"Pull up the curtain, the stage is all ready!" Elmer said to himself, as he kept close watch on the movements of the boy below.
He could see Ty taking a firm grip on the dangling line as though he meant to have it no halfway affair.
"Now, go!" exclaimed the watcher.
Just as though Ty might have been waiting for some such order, he was seen to suddenly tighten his hold, and then give a tremendous jerk, that was surely calculated to make Adam believe the champion bass of the Sweetwater had taken his bait and gorged it.
Then something happened, something that doubtless the practical joker crouching below had not anticipated as a result of his prank.
Adam seemed to suddenly awaken. He was evidently greatly excited, and as he made a wild clutch at the butt of his rod, which had been partly jerked out of his grasp by the violence of that bite, he just naturally lost his seat on the log.
Elmer saw him gracefully slide around the trunk of the fallen tree and go down with arms and legs sprawled out like an immense frog. And, strange to say, as he dropped his extended arms seemed to suddenly clasp Ty in their embrace, for both of them went headlong into the river with a tremendous splash!
CHAPTER VI.
"Adam did that on purpose!" was what Elmer exclaimed, as he saw how the arms of the falling German boy pulled Ty with him into the pool under the log.
That great splash was surely enough to frighten away any bass that might even have had the hardihood to remain around, after the vigorous threshing of the water by the greenhorn fisherman.
Of course the two boys immediately came to the surface. Ty was spouting water like a young whale; but Adam seemed to be all right. He made a few strokes after his original fashion, that had so aroused the admiration of Landy, and arriving at the bank, climbed up.
Ty made a great deal more fuss as he churned his way to the shore; and Elmer, who had hastened up so as to witness what followed, could see that there was a look of wonder, almost awe, on the face of the practical joker. The results had been so sudden, and so disastrous to himself, that he could hardly understand just what had happened.
"Ach! put dot vas sooch a surprises to me, Ty," remarked Adam, from the shore; "I dinks me I haf ketch de biggest fish in der river; undt ven I throw oudt mine arms to pull him in, py chinks, it vas only you, having some fun py me. How goes it, londsman; I hopes you enchoy yourself mooch. Subbose you go pack, undt get my fishing pole, vich is floating down der stream."
He gave Ty a push as the other tried to clamber out on the bank and forced him in again. The other showed signs of fight until Elmer, sizing up the situation, called out:
"That's only fair, Ty; you made him lose his rod, as well as take a ducking with his clothes on. Get the rod again, and let him pull in his fish."
Possibly Ty realized the justice of this claim; or it might be he felt disposed to take his medicine gracefully, for with a laugh he swam out again, as well as he was able with his garments clinging to his limbs, secured the rod, which had partly sunk, and came back with it in one hand.
As if to prove that he harbored no animosity, Adam frankly stretched out his hand and helped Ty ashore. There they stood, dripping wet, and laughing at each other.
"Oxcuse me, Ty," said the German lad, making a queer face; "put I haf to laugh, it is so funny! You dinks to make me some droubles, and by shiminy you fall indo de same hole yourself. So, dere is two of us!"
"The joke is on Ty," announced Elmer. "I saw the whole thing, and I want Adam to own up right now that he had one eye open all the while, and was watching what was going on."
Adam looked up at him with a leer on his square face; then he shut one eye and deliberately winked at Elmer.
"I subbose dot I vas nodt so much asleep as somepody pelieves," he said; and that was the only confession they could get out of him.
Fortunately, as the weather was so very warm, there was no danger of either of the boys taking cold after their ducking. Neither of them would bother changing their garments, or attempting to dry those they had on.
"Let 'em dry on me," said Ty, whose good-nature had returned, though he declared that everything had conspired to upset all his calculations that morning; what with the obstinate bull, and now the clumsy Dutchman who had to throw out his arm and pull him into the river along with himself.
Ted had come up from his fishing place below to ask what all the row was about.
"Fact ith, you have buthted up the fithing for thith morning," he declared, with some show of indignation. "If you mutht kick up a racket, why under the thun don't you go off by yourthelf and do it. I got theven fith, and one of 'em a beaut. And the biggetht of the bunch wath jutht going to take hold when you had to make all that beathtly row."
When, however, the thing was explained to him, Ted enjoyed the joke as well as Elmer had. He declared that he would wander along down the river to another promising hole he remembered seeing. And Elmer, thinking that the German boy might as well begin taking some lessons in bass fishing, agreed to accompany Adam upstream a little distance, to try for a capture.
"Hey, that was just the greatest thing ever!" called out a voice; and Landy was seen approaching from above, waving his little kodak in glee.
"What's all this talk about?" demanded Ty.
"I got it, that's what!" the fat boy kept on saying. "And won't it just be a corker, though!"
Elmer jumped to conclusions at this remark.
"Do you mean you saw the tumble Adam and Ty took?" he asked.
"Well," Landy went on, "you see, I had just discovered Adam sitting there asleep on that log sticking out over the water; and I thought what a lovely subject he would make for a picture. So I crept up till I had a good focus, and then I pressed the button!"
"Yes, go on; that wasn't all you did, was it?" asked the patrol leader, who was able to read the open-faced Landy like the page of a book.
"Well, you see, it was such a fine subject that I thought I had ought to knock off another view, so that if one proved poor the other might be good. And just as I was all ready, why, it happened!"
"And you snapped it off as they were falling in?" Elmer continued.
"I think I did," said Landy, eagerly; "for my finger just pressed the trigger unconsciously. I was that astonished, you see. And I'm going to develop this roll to-night. Wouldn't it be just immense if it turned out to be a good picture!"
"Oh, yes; something to amuse the rest of the troop, and chase the blues away," grunted Ty, as he hunched his shoulders and sauntered back to the camp to ascertain what Elmer might have been doing there.
Elmer did take Adam up the river a piece, and finding a promising spot where there seemed to be a likelihood of bass frequenting, he proceeded to instruct the other in the rudiments of the art.
Adam took to it from the very first. He was frank enough to confess that he had never done any fishing in the old country, and was therefore utterly green; but he showed an aptitude for catching on to what Elmer told him; and before they had been an hour at work he had not only succeeded in hooking a fine specimen of the gamey bass, but played and landed him in great style.
"You'll do, I reckon, now, Adam; so I'll leave you here and go back to camp. Be sure you come in when you hear the signal, which will be three loud cooies."
At noon, when the fishermen gave it up for the day, as the heat stopped all biting on the part of the bass, it was found that while Ted had caught seven fair-sized fish, five of them bass, one a large perch, and a sucker that was the largest Elmer had ever seen around that region, Adam had brought in two bass and a big catfish.
"Py shiminy crickets, dot feller vas dry some foolishness py me," he said, as he held up the still wriggling catfish; "I haf drouples to get him off der hook; and he sthick me dwice so hardt in der finger. Ooch! put it do feel sore yet somedimes. I dink me he preak off some dot thorn in der pone."
"That's another lesson you must learn, Adam," said Elmer. "The catfish has ugly spines that hurt like fun when you run your hand against them. I guess they're poisoned, like the tail of the stingy-ray, down South. I've known a fellow who had a running sore for a month after being stuck by the fin of a cat. And, Ted, seems to me here's another chance to use that colored stuff that was so fine with Landy."
"Right-o, Elmer," exclaimed the other, making a dive for the tent to look up his medicine bag.
So Adam grinned, and allowed the "doctor" to paint his hand in the region where the spines of the catfish had penetrated with such painful results. Indeed, he declared an hour later that the pain had all departed; and Elmer concluded from this that permanganate of potash was good to use on all sorts of poison wounds.
"I believe," he went on to say, "that if I was struck on the arm by a rattler, I'd cut the wound open some, suck all the poison I could out, providing I had no scratch or sore about my mouth, and then take my chances, after painting it freely with the strongest solution of this potash I could bear. Yes, and I think I'd come out much better than those who believe in soaking the patient with whisky."
The afternoon they spent in resting up. Indeed, it was unusually hot, and somehow none of them aspired to exert themselves any more than they could help.
Adam had offered to clean the fish, after he had been shown how, and made quite a good job of it, being very particular, after the fashion of his kind. And Elmer gave Ty the duty of seeing that the fish were served that evening at supper. It would be a poor piece of business if they put several days in up there on the old Sweetwater, famous for its bass fishing, and never once enjoy a mess of the delicious dish.
They waited later than usual that evening, hoping the air would cool off some with the setting of the sun. It was almost dark when Ty got started with the supper. When the fish began to fry in the pan (in which the cook had first tried out several slices of salt pork, which grease was made very hot before the bass, dipped in cracker-dust, were placed in the pan), some of the boys, who had declared they had no appetite, were observed to sit up and take notice as they sniffed the fragrant odors that arose.
"Guess you-all will come around when things are ready," laughed Ty, who often liked to mock the Southern scout, Chatz Maxfield, when he talked.
"Well, I confeth I'm waking up," admitted Ted, frankly.
"And that stuff smells mighty good, Ty," declared Landy. "I want you to remember now that it wasn't me said I couldn't eat a bite."
"I thould thay not," laughed Ted. "Nobody would ever believe you guilty of thuch a thilly thing. You're alwayth hungry, Landy, and ready to gobble."
"Say, now, that's what I call mean," expostulated the fat boy, pretending to be very indignant, though these attacks on his character were of daily, almost hourly occurrence, and he was quite accustomed to meeting them. "Just because I'm big, and need more to keep me up than the rest of you, some fellows like to say I'm greedy. 'Tain't so. And some day I'll run you a match, Ty, to see who can keep from eating a bite the longest."
"Not much, you will," declared the cook. "Why, it wouldn't be a square deal. You've got all your fat to fall back on; and look at me, skin and bones."
So they laughed and talked, as the preparations for supper went on apace.
"What're you listening to, Elmer?" asked Landy, after some time had passed; and looking toward the patrol leader he saw that he had his head raised in an attitude that told of suddenly aroused interest.
"I thought I heard a queer plunk just then, out there on the river," replied the other. "Yes, there it went again. Did you hear it, boys?"
"Sure we did," replied Ty, raising his head from his duties at the cooking fire, in between the stones that had been fashioned somewhat after the shape of a V, with the evening air fanning the broad end.
"Whatever can it be, Elmer?" demanded Landy, his face immediately expressing curiosity, and, perhaps, a trace of alarm; for anything that savored of mystery always excited the fat boy.
All of them were now interested, and listened to ascertain whether that strange sound was repeated. Perhaps an interval of half a minute passed. Then once more came that plain "plunk!"
"Sounds like somebody drowning, and givin' the last gasp!" declared Ty.
"Oh, let up on that thort of thuff, Ty," said Ted. "You're alwayth thinking about thuch nathty thingth."
Landy turned appealingly to the patrol leader. He realized that if anybody ought to know what the character of those queer sounds was, Elmer must.
"What is it, Elmer?" he asked again. "The sea serpent or only some old grand-daddy bullfrog croaking to himself on a log. Say, perhaps that's one of them funny old loon birds you were telling us about to-day, that can just laugh so's to make your flesh creep! Tell us about that, Elmer. Whatever is it? There, that time it was a double plunkety-plunk! Now, I wonder what in the dickens it means!"
CHAPTER VII.
Elmer laughed.
"Listen," he said, "and you'll hear some more of the same kind."
Hardly had he ceased speaking than there was another loud "chug" heard.
"My, he jumped into the water that time, sure, if it was a frog!" said Landy.
Then came a strange rattling sound, as of half a dozen "plunks" all mixed up.
"He threw a handful then for a change, and good measure," remarked Elmer, dryly.
"A handful of what?" echoed Ty.
"Stones!" replied the patrol leader.
The others stared at each other.
"Is that what it is, then?" asked Landy, heaving a distinct sigh of relief. "Why, of course, we all ought to have got on to it before now. Stones always make that kind of plunk when they drop into the water from above. But, Elmer, whoever d'ye think it can be; and what's he trying to do—scare us?"
"Oh, that remains to be seen. Suppose you fellows go on getting supper ready, while I slip out quietly and investigate," Elmer proposed.
"Don't take too many chances, remember, Elmer," cautioned Ty, as he turned again to his frying pan, filled with fish.
"Yeth, go thlow, Elmer," said Ted, shaking his head. "You know there'th a bad lot of fellowth over in Fairfield, alwayth ready to play trickth on travelerth. It may be they only want to coax one of our crowd out, and then carry him off. Take a club along with you, Elmer."
"Yes, do," Landy added, thrusting a stout stick into the hand of the patrol leader. "And use it if you have to. Remember, one call of the wolf will bring us along in a rush, Elmer. And I'm going to have some other nice clubs handy, in a minute or two."
"Don't go to any trouble, because you may be disappointed," chuckled Elmer, as he pushed back into the shadows, so that he could enter the tent.
Having done this, two minutes later he was crawling out from under the canvas at the back of the tent, having unfastened the same by uprooting the peg at that particular spot.
Of course it was easy enough for Elmer to creep away undetected by anyone who might be in a position to watch the camp. His experience on the plains of the new country up beyond the Saskatchewan River in Canada, where his father had been in charge of a relative's ranch and farm, was of considerable benefit to him now.
Once free from the light of the fire, Elmer stopped to listen and made up his mind concerning certain things. Then he again pushed forward.
He was now making something in the shape of a half circuit. If he kept on long enough he would presently bring up on the river bank below the camp; and this was in reality his destination; for he believed that the unknown party who was tossing those stones out into the river, with the intention of mystifying them, must be stationed somewhere there.
In fact, Elmer had remembered that just here the shore made a sort of little beach, which they could have used nicely as a landing place, had they possessed a boat. And he had also noted the fact that there was a great abundance of round stones there, very tempting to the average boy, who loves to hurl such things into the water, just to see them splash.
He was drawing near this particular spot now, and in order to avoid being seen, as his figure would be outlined against the sky, he dropped down on his hands and knees, crawling forward the last ten feet after this Indian fashion.
The darkness was not intense, and Elmer had a pair of unusually keen eyes. Hence, as he stopped there just above the little beach, he was able to make out a figure that seemed to be bent over as if searching for something.
"He's hunting another relay of stones," thought Elmer, wondering who the party could be.
There was a slight possibility that it might turn out to be some wandering hobo, who thought he might cause the boys to temporarily abandon that fine supper, which he could snatch up and make away with. Then, again, there was a chance of this fellow being only one of a number of the Fairfield roughs, who, having discovered their camp, were bound to do all they could to make trouble.
But Elmer did not take much stock in either of these theories. He was inclined to look upon the unknown as a friend, one of the fellows from Hickory Ridge, who had come out to join them for the last day of their stay on the Sweetwater.
That was why he listened so keenly, for he hoped to catch some familiar sound calculated to tell the identity of the dusky figure below.
The drone of voices from around the fire came to his ears, telling that his four chums had taken his advice, and were acting as though they had no particular interest in those queer noises.
Now the figure below seemed to straighten up, and Elmer knew he meant to throw another stone, perhaps a second volley that would rattle like shot as they came down on the surface of the running water.
And as he heaved them forth, the party below gave vent to a peculiar little grunt or wheeze that was very familiar to the ears of Elmer Chenowith.
"Hello, there, George! Having a great time, I see, amusing yourself!" he said, in a low, but plainly heard tone.
There was a moment of silence, as though the unknown was somewhat taken aback by the fact of his having been caught so neatly, even in the act.
"That you, Elmer?" he asked, with a short laugh.
"That's who it is, George," the other replied. "Suppose you come up out of that, now, and surrender. There's a penalty attached to this thing of trying to scare us. Do you know what you've got to do now to make good?"
"No, what's that, Elmer?" asked the boy, who was climbing up the bank by now, and who happened to be a cousin to Landy Smith, known among his mates as "Doubting George," simply because he could not help appearing skeptical about nearly everything that came along.
"Why," observed Elmer, very seriously, "you've just got to unfasten your belt, sit down alongside us, and do your level best to get away with a share of the fine fish supper the boys have ready."
"Oh, ginger! Count me in on that, won't you?" laughed the other, as he accepted the extended hand of the patrol leader, and was assisted up the bank. "It's a long walk up here, and you see, since you fellows hiked it, I just didn't dare use my wheel. And I tell you I'm hungry enough to eat anything halfway decent."
"Well, Ty's chief cook and bottle-washer to-night; and you know enough about him to understand what that means. Ty's long suit is his cooking. He's just the boss at that, every day," and Elmer purposely elevated his voice as he said this, so that those by the fire, now awaiting them, could overhear what he said.
"Hey! what's all that you're saying; and who're you talking to, Elmer?" demanded the party in question.
Landy gave a shout.
"By the great horn spoon, if it ain't my cousin George!" he exclaimed. "Ten to one he doubted whether we had really come up here at all—that he didn't believe he could ever find us—that he expected to frighten the whole bunch out of their seven senses by that silly trick; and even now he isn't sure whether he sees us or is dreaming he does. In fact, George can find a loophole to doubt anything."
"All right, say what you want," replied the newcomer, sturdily. "I admit that I was born with an unfortunate disposition to question everything. Mother says I must be a great lawyer some day. But there are some things that are so plain even Doubting George can't miss hitting 'em. That smell, now, is sure the finest thing that ever came down the pike; and, anyhow, I don't doubt but that you fellows are going to ask me to share in the grub with you. How's that, Cousin Philander?"
"Oh, you're welcome to it," replied Ty, in place of Landy. "Plenty for all; and we owe this treat to the patience of Ted and Adam here. Later on you must get our new scout to tell you how he goes in after his fish, clothes and all. It's a real funny stunt, George."
"Yeth," put in Ted. "And mind you, he pullth in other fellowth with him. Be thure to have him tell you that part, my thon. It'th worth hearing, George."
Of course, around the fire, as they discussed the qualities of the fish, the story was told. Everyone seemed to have a share in the telling, so that George got it from several sources.
"And pretty soon," declared Landy, "I'm going to use a black pocket in the woods close by as my dark room, so I can develop that roll of films. You see, I'm just wild to learn whether I really did push that trigger on the camera, and shoot it off, just as those two fellows were tumbling into the water. If I got that, it'll pay me for the whole job of hiking away up here and losing more'n a pound in weight."
"Wish you luck, then, Philander," said George, who usually made a mouthful of his cousin's name.
Some people said George was really envious of Landy's possessing such an uncommon name; others believed that he was proud of being connected with a family that could sport such a classical "cognomen," as he often termed it.
"When did you leave good old Hickory Ridge?" asked Ty; for, like most boys, no sooner was Ty away from home than everything about the place assumed an almost sacred aspect, and he could never even mention its name without an affectionate prefix of some sort.
"I reckon I've been three hours on the way," was George's reply.
"Three hours to get up here! Say, you didn't walk like that in the big hike, when you covered the name of Robbins with imperishable glory," Landy declared.
"Shucks, and me the lowest score in the whole bunch!" sneered George. "But I guess I lost the way, and covered a lot more territory than I ought to have done."
"Yes," said Landy, "I know what was the matter. You just made up your mind every signpost lied, and when it said go east, you tried the other road. That's what you get for doubting everything. It brings heaps of trouble, and if you're wise you'll shunt that on to the side track in a hurry."
"Oh, shucks! Attend to your own mutton, Landy," said George; but his face had reddened at the accusation of his cousin, and none of the others doubted but that Landy's random shot had hit pretty close to the truth.
"Anything new around Hickory Ridge since we left there?" asked Elmer.
"Why, yes, there is, fellows," replied George, brightening up, as though he had just thought of something.
"Then tell us what it is. Has Hiram Juggles got a new shingle on his barn; or did the Mosely twins get mixed up again, so that nobody knows which is Jim and which Jack?" asked Ty.
"Oh, it's something more serious than that, let me tell you," George went on, with a vein of mystery in his voice that instantly aroused the curiosity of Landy.
"Then why don't you tell us what it is, George, you old ice wagon!" he exclaimed. "Somebody give him a push, please, and get him to roll his hoop."
"They tried to wreck the midnight express—guess you fellows started off too early in the mornin' to hear about it," George said.
"We never heard a word, so hurry up and tell us, George," said Elmer.
"Yes, whatever in the wide world would they want to wreck that train for? Was it some crazy man; or do they think it could have been an attempt to rob the express safe?" demanded Ty, anxiously; for he had an uncle who held the throttle of the engine pulling that particular train, and was therefore deeply interested.
"Nobody's dead sure what they wanted to do," George went on, "but the messenger admits that he was carrying a bigger amount of money than usual. Perhaps the hoboes got wind of it, and thought they might have a chance to capture the stuff. They didn't have nerve enough to hold the train up in western fashion, so they tried the coward play."
"I notice that you say hoboes did it, as if nobody doubted that part of the affair," Elmer remarked, significantly.
"They were seen by a track walker, and had quite a fight with him," George continued. "The poor chap is in the hospital now, though he's going to pull through. He managed to crawl to a station and give the alarm, so no damage was done. And now they're hunting high and low for two hoboes, one short with red hair, and t'other a long-legged fellow who limps when he walks, like he'd once had his leg hurt. They are called Shorty and Lanky Jim!"
It was Adam who set up a shout that caused the others to stare at him.
"Hey, what's this mean?" demanded Ty. "He looks like he knew something about the two rascals you were telling us about, George. Elmer, you take him in hand, won't you, and see what he's got on his mind. And make him tell it in plain United States. We left our Dutch dictionaries at home this trip, you see."