"Oh! there are lots of other ways for doing it in the bargain," pursued Lil Artha, now upon his most favored subject. "You"ll think it a most fascinating thing, Alec, I promise you. And once you wake up to the fact that a scout can learn a thousand facts, if only he uses his eyes and his head, you"ll be more than glad you joined the troop. Why, we live in a world of our own, and the poor ninnies outside don"t have one-tenth of the fun that falls to us."
"There come Rufus and George," remarked Alec. "They look unco" pleased, as if they had discovered the slashing they went to look for. I"m a little interested in survey work mysel". Rufus is clean crazy over it, too, and sometimes his fash is all aboot theodolites and chains and compa.s.ses and the like. They told me he was lazy, but if ye seed him workin" at the business he loved, ye"d know they leed, they leed."
Alec turned back to his work of splitting the log he had attacked.
Already he had a wedge well driven into its heart. A few more l.u.s.ty blows of the ax and he had opened another cleft further along, into which he was able, with Lil Artha"s directions, to place a second wedge.
After that it was easy to continue lengthening the split until with a doleful crack the log fell apart, having been cleft in twain.
"That will do for now, Alec," said Lil Artha. "You have done splendidly for your first real lesson in wood-chopping, and I can see with half an eye that you bid fair to beat us all at the game, given a little time, and more experience. You"ve got a great swing, and seem able to hit a s.p.a.ce the size of a dime, every time you let fall. That"s half of the battle in chopping, to be able to drive true to the mark; because there"s energy wasted in false blows."
Alec looked pleased. A little praise judiciously bestowed is always a great accelerator in coaxing reluctant boys to take up their tasks cheerfully; and wise Lil Artha knew it.
Just then Alec happened to catch a glimpse of something moving amidst the branches of the tree over his head. Lil Artha had turned aside, and did not chance to notice what the other was doing, as the Scotch lad, stooping down, s.n.a.t.c.hed up a stout cudgel, and hastily threw it aloft.
His aim must have been excellent, judging from the immediate results.
Lil Artha heard him give a satisfied cry, which, however, almost immediately changed to a howl of alarm. Whirling around, the tall scout saw something that might have amused him at another time, for it possessed the elements of comedy rather than tragedy.
Alec in hurling that stick aloft must have succeeded in dislodging some animal from its hold on the limb. The beast in falling had alighted fairly and squarely on the shoulders of the astonished Scotch boy, and given him a severe case of fright. Lil Artha saw that it possessed a long ringed tail, and hence he knew instantly that it was only a harmless racc.o.o.n, and not a fierce wildcat, as he had at first feared.
CHAPTER IV
SHOWING THE GREENHORNS
"WHOO! tak" him off, Lil Artha! It"s a mad cat, it is, I"m thinkin"!"
The "c.o.o.n being presently dislodged, after having only given Alec a few trifling scratches, proceeded to retreat in hot haste. The angry Scotch lad, s.n.a.t.c.hing up another billet of wood, was about to rush after the frightened animal as though to vent his fury upon it, when Lil Artha barred the way.
"Don"t do it, Alec!" he called out, holding up a restraining hand; "let the poor thing trot along. He"s more scared than you were, take it from me."
"But he _bit_ me, ye ken; and I don"t let any fearsome wild beastie do that with impunity, I tell ye!" snapped Alec.
"Well, who"s really to blame, Alec?" said Lil Artha, promptly. "That"s only a harmless racc.o.o.n. He must have his nest in a hollow limb of this tree we"re under. Hearing all the talk going on below here, can you blame him for peeking, and trying to pick up a few points about eating, and the like? He was within his rights, and you had no business to knock him down with that chunk of wood. He happened to fall on your shoulders, and commenced scratching and clawing when you jabbed at him so with your hands. He only scratched you a little, and drew the blood. Elmer has the stuff to put on that, and prevent any chance of blood poisoning setting in. But surely you wouldn"t kill that inoffensive little runt because he allowed you to knock him out of the tree."
Alec hung his head.
"Aweel, it may be you"re right, Lil Artha," he muttered, being conquered by the arguments advanced by the other. "Anyway, it"s too late now to chase after him, for the beastie is lang out of sight. Perhaps I was o"er hasty to throw. Next time I"ll try to hold my hand."
"It pays not to be too fast while in the woods," he was a.s.sured. "If now that had happened to be a bobcat, you"d have been in a nice pickle, let me tell you; and he might have scratched out both your eyes before the rest of us could lift a hand to save you. Better go slow but sure, Alec.
And try to look at things once in a while from the standpoint of the woods animal. You"ll find it mighty interesting to put yourself in their place, and figure just what you would do."
Again Alec scratched that tousled red head of his. Plainly he was puzzled to exactly grasp what Lil Artha meant; but then, as time pa.s.sed and he became more accustomed to this strange camp life, now so new to him, the boy would doubtless understand many things that in the beginning looked very mysterious.
When, a short time later, Lil Artha began to initiate him into the mysteries of fire-making, Alec displayed more or less fresh interest. He knew he was going to like that sort of thing first-rate, he told the other; which acknowledgment caused the tall scout to grin with pleasure, since it repaid him tenfold for all the trouble he had taken thus far.
The fire was soon burning cheerily. Somehow it seemed a great source of joy to everyone, especially Elmer, Lil Artha and George. As veteran scouts the crackle of a blaze instantly called up fond memories of numerous former occasions when in the woods, and camping amidst the solitudes they had met with all sorts of interesting and even thrilling adventures, never to be utterly forgotten, even when they had grown to manhood, and gone forth into the world upon their appointed life missions.
Next in order came the preparations for cooking the camp supper. Here Lil Artha had fresh and glorious opportunities to show the tenderfoot squad all sorts of things that it was of prime importance they should early manage to acquire, if they expected to make good scouts.
And when the ham had been nicely browned in the skillet; the potatoes and onions thoroughly cooked; the coffee allowed to settle, after being brought to a boil; and the rudely-built table set with all sorts of good things besides, from cookies, jam, home-made pies, pickles, and such articles as the crafty George had prevailed upon his dupe, Rufus, to include in the bulky stores, it seemed as though there was hardly room to allow their plates a chance to find crevices for lodgment.
By this time the sun had set in a blaze of glory that called forth loud words of sincere admiration from the entire party. Twilight was upon the land as they sat down to enjoy that glorious spread; and both Rufus and Alec vowed they had never in all their lives felt one-half so hungry as right then and there.
That supper would never be forgotten by those tenderfoot scouts. Every fellow once new to the woods can look back to the first meal under such conditions, and remember how wonderfully good everything did taste. The food at home never had such tempting qualities, and his one great fear was that the supply would not be equal to the _enormous_ demand.
After supper came the dish washing. That was not quite so fine, especially since Rufus and Alec had fairly gorged themselves. But Elmer knew that it was good to start out right.
"Oh! what"s the use bothering with the old dishes tonight?" complained Rufus, spoiled at home by a doting mother; "I"m feeling too fine to be disturbed. Please don"t spoil it all by doing anything disagreeable, Elmer."
His wheedling tone had no effect. The scout-master was determined that these two new recruits must learn that duty always precedes pleasure with a scout. After all work has been finished is the proper time to "loaf," and take things easy.
"We have a rule in camp that is as unbending as that of the Medes and the Persians, Rufus," Elmer went on to say, positively. "That is, the dishes must be cleaned up immediately after supper, by those who are delegated with the task. I"ll be only too glad to show you and Alec how to go about it, in case you haven"t had any experience; but the pot of hot water is waiting, and none of us can settle down to an evening"s enjoyment until things are cleared away. All of us mean to take our turns at the job, remember, but we thought the new beginners ought to be the ones to start first."
Rufus looked as though inclined to rebel. Just then Alec jumped up, being more ready to give in than the boy who had always had his own way.
"Coom alang, Rufus, and we"ll wrestle with the pots and pans!" he called out. "Between the baith of us we should be able to manage, I ken. And then for a lang evenin" listenin" to the stories Lil Artha, here, has promised to spin, that will, nae doot, mak" Robert Louie Stevenson"s wildest tales tak" a back seat."
Well, after that Rufus could not hold out. He even grinned sheepishly a bit as he got up from his comfortable position, and followed the Scotch lad and Elmer over to where the dishpan was hung on a convenient nail, together with a supply of towels, and several dish cloths, all seen to by Lil Artha, who knew by long experience how necessary such things are in a well conducted camp.
So by slow degrees Elmer and his mates might make progress in educating the tenderfoot squad along the lines that every well drilled scout has to follow. Of course they would meet with many discouragements, and sometimes feel that the task was beyond their strength, especially in connection with Rufus, who had allowed such a mult.i.tude of tares to grow amidst the good seed that would have to be rooted out; but it is astonishing how much persistence and patience will accomplish, and in the end surprising results might reward the laborers in the vineyard.
They sat up late that night and the fire continued to crackle merrily as fresh fuel was applied from time to time. How wonderful it all seemed to Rufus and Alec, experiencing their very first night in camp. The moon had already set, being young, and darkness hung over the scene. Strange sounds, too, welled up out of that gloom to thrill the greenhorns as they listened. Again and again did one of them interrupt the conversation or the story-telling to demand that some fellow tell what manner of queer creature could be making such and such a noise.
Now it was some night bird giving a hoa.r.s.e cry; again a distant loon, doubtless out upon some lake, the presence of which they had not even suspected, sent forth a fiendish sound like the laugh of an evil sprite and which chilled the blood in the veins of the tenderfoot scouts; later on they heard tree frogs commence their weird chorus, and were relieved to learn the nature of the noisy sounds, for they half suspected a circle of ravenous wolves might be closing in around the camp.
And so it went on, one thing after another. Perhaps the most singular effect of all was produced by the hooting of a big owl, doubtless squatted in some dead treetop within a few hundred yards of the fire.
The two greenhorns really believed some man was calling out and making fun of them. Rufus, on his part, jumped to the conclusion that the poacher, possibly under the influence of liquor, was daring them to come out and have a fight with him, for that tantalizing "whoo! whoo!" seemed to breathe defiance and scorn. Alec, too, showed symptoms of "firing up," much to the secret amus.e.m.e.nt of Lil Artha and George.
They both quieted down after being told what sort of a big-eyed bird was responsible for the weird noise; though from time to time as the hoots continued to be wafted to them on the night air, the tenderfoot scouts would move uneasily, and exhibit fresh traces of interest bordering on rank incredulity, since it was difficult for them to really believe any feathered creature could indulge in such a mocking monologue.
And later still, after they had crept into their warm blankets, and sought to go to sleep, while the three veterans after a while managed to find forgetfulness in honest slumber, the other pair tossed back and forth, changed their hemlock-filled pillows into new positions, sighed dismally, and put in one of the most trying nights they had ever known.
But then it would not be so bad on the next occasion; and before many nights pa.s.sed they, too, would be "dead to the world a short time after hitting the hay," as Lil Artha expressed it. Every fellow has to be broken in before he can sleep, when camping out for the first time; the great wilderness around seems peopled with countless unseen, but nevertheless present, creatures, which his lively imagination pictures as seeking to steal a march upon the camp, and either to purloin all their possessions or else eat them alive.
Why, even experienced campers usually have a poor first night of it, until they can again grow accustomed to the difference between their own soft beds within the four walls of home, and this canvas covering, or perhaps only the starry heavens above for a canopy.
That long night seemed never to reach an end, to Rufus at least; for even after the Scotch lad had pa.s.sed into slumberland the other squirmed about uneasily, sat up and looked around him many times; and even crept out twice to throw additional fuel on the fire, because he hated to see it getting so dismally dark around, with all those queer sounds welling up in chorus--the said chorus being produced in part, if Rufus only knew it, which he didn"t, by katydids, crickets, tree-frogs, and such harmless little creatures.
But even the longest night must come to an end at last. Rufus, having finally fallen into a doze, found himself aroused by some one talking, and opening his eyes discovered to his surprise that it was broad daylight, with breakfast cooking near by.
CHAPTER V
THE SPIRAL OF BLUE SMOKE