GETTING READY FOR THE GREAT HIKE
"Can you see him yet, Paul?" whispered Jack, presently; for he had
dropped behind his companion, and his view was slightly hindered.
"Yes, he seems to be following Mr. Clausin," returned the patrol leader,
in an awed tone.
"Whatever ought we to do?" demanded Jack. "Perhaps he may be one of the
same crowd that robbed the feed store. And now he is following Joe's
father home! Oh! Paul, do you think he means to hold him up, or find out
where he lives, so he can steal something more?"
"I don't know," returned Paul, dubiously; "but we can't stay here and
let this thing go on."
"That's what I say, too," Jack hastened to say, as he once more reached
his feet. "Shall we call, and bring some of the fellows around? You know
how to bark like a fox better than any other scout in the troop. Give
the distress signal, Paul. If there's any fellow within a block of us
he's bound to hurry this way."
But Paul hesitated.
"That might do the job all right; but at the first sign of danger don't
you expect this fellow would disappear? How could we prove anything,
then, Jack; tell me that?"
"But if you won't do what I say, I'm sure it's because you've got
something else on tap that is better. Put me wise to it, Paul," begged
Jack.
"Come on then; we mustn't lose sight of that fellow. Walk fast, because
we ought to pass him by," observed the scout leader, starting out.
"But Paul, you don't mean to tackle him, do you?" asked his chum,
thrilled by the prospect of an encounter with the unknown.
"Why, not if I know it! He isn't likely to say or do anything when we
hurry past him, you see," came Paul's low reply.
"Oh! I get on now;" whispered Jack, as he clung to the arm of his mate;
"you expect to warn Mr. Clausin! That's a good idea. He'd know what to
do, of course."
Involuntarily Paul caressed the left sleeve of his khaki coat, where the
red silk badge that indicated his right to the exalted office of
assistant scoutmaster was fastened, just above the silver one telling
that he was also a second class scout patrol leader.
"Why should it," he said in reply; "when our motto is always 'be
prepared'? But don't say anything more, Jack, just now."
His companion saw the wisdom of what he said, for they had been rapidly
overtaking the figure that was trailing after Mr. Clausin.
The man looked back over his shoulder several times, as though he had
caught the sound of their footsteps, and was interested. Paul noticed,
however, that he did not show any intention of slinking away, and he
wondered at this.
When the boys passed him the man simply lowered his head, so that the
brim of his hat would shield his face. He gave no sign that he felt any
annoyance, and Paul could hear his chum breathe a sigh of relief.
Evidently Jack was keyed up to a point close to an explosion.
Mr. Clausin was now only a short distance ahead, and they hurried
faster, so as to overtake him quickly.
"Why, is that you, Paul?" he asked, as, hearing the patter of steps
close behind, he turned hastily.
"Yes, sir," replied the scout leader, somewhat out of breath from his
exertions, "we wanted to catch you before you left the town limits,
sir."
"To catch me," returned the gentleman, showing signs of interest. "And
why, may I ask, Paul?"
"Oh! Mr. Clausin," broke in Jack at this juncture, "somebody is
following you--a man who seems to be a stranger in town! After what
happened last night we thought you ought to know it. There he is,
standing in the shadow of that big elm back there."
To the utter astonishment of the two boys the gentleman, instead of
showing any alarm, such as they expected, seemed amused. He even
chuckled, as though something bordering on the humorous took the place
of fear.
"It was very kind of you, boys, to follow after me to give me warning,"
he said, laying a hand on each of them. "But this time I rather suspect
it's going to turn out to be a flash in the pan. Because, you see, my
lads, I just said good-night to that same stranger at the door of my
place of business, where we have been holding a consultation. Possibly
he took a notion to see me safely home, not knowing but what I might be
held up a second time."
"Oh!" exclaimed Jack, in a disappointed tone, "then he's a friend of
yours, sir? How silly we have been! We thought we might be doing you a
service in warning you. Come along, Paul; let's fade away!"
"Not just yet, boys, please," said Mr. Clausin. "Your intentions were
all right, and for that I'm a thousand times obliged. Besides, you did
me a great favor last night, one I'm not likely to forget. I want you to
meet my friend. He's expressed himself as one who believes in the great
movement you lads represent in this town."
Then raising his voice he called out:
"Mr. Norris, step this way, please!"
Immediately the shadowy figure started toward them. It was evident that
the mysterious gentleman must have partly guessed the mission of the
boys, for he was chuckling softly to himself as he came up.
"This is something of a joke on me, Mr. Clausin," he remarked, as if
amused. "To think of one in my line of business being outwitted by a
couple of lads. But then even lawyers will have to look to their laurels
when they run up against boys who have been trained in the clever
tactics of this scout movement. Am I right in believing one of these
chaps must be Paul?"
"Yes, this one, Mr. Norris; and the other is his friend, Jack Stormways,
of whom I was also speaking to you," replied the merchant.
"Glad to meet you, boys, and shake hands with you both," observed Mr.
Norris warmly. "I've got a couple of my own boys down in the city, who
are just as wild over this scouting business as you fellows up here seem
to be. And my friend Clausin here, has been telling me a few interesting
things in connection with a runaway horse, and a burning house. Such
evidences make me feel more positive than ever that only good can come
out of the organization you belong to."
Of course the boys hardly knew what to say in connection with such a
handsome compliment; but they returned the warm pressure of the
gentleman's hand.
"I ought to tell you, Paul," remarked Mr. Clausin just then, "that this
gentleman is my lawyer. I wired him to come up here and see me, as I
wished to consult him about those papers which are so strangely missing.
You see, I have a pretty good idea who may have taken them, and their
loss complicates matters very much. So I was in need of advice. Besides,
I was in hopes Mr. Norris, who is a smart man in his class, might be
able to suggest some way in which I could recover the papers."
Paul was more than ever interested now in those missing documents. He
could not help wondering what their nature could be to give their late
owner so much distress of mind. And besides, he was puzzled to
understand just how Mr. Clausin hoped to ever set eyes on them again.
Would the thief open up communications with him, and demand a ransom for
their return?
These things kept cropping up in his mind long after he had said
good-night to the two gentlemen, and even separated from his chum. They
came back to him when he woke up in the middle of the night, and lay
there in his own snug little room at home, where he was surrounded by
shelves of books, trophies of contests on the athletic field, and such
other things as the heart of a healthy lad loves.
There was something very singular in the manner of Mr. Clausin when he
referred to the contents of the little tin box. Paul disliked very much
to give anything up; but it was only groping in the dark to try and
solve the puzzle without more of a clue than he possessed.
Besides, the regular scoutmaster being off on one of his periodical
business trips, much of the duty of preparing for the long trip into the
wilderness devolved on Paul.
School was just over for the Summer, and every member of the troop
seemed to be bubbling with enthusiasm in connection with the
contemplated outing. Nothing like it had ever been attempted before; and
scores of things must be looked after.
By the time the scouts got in camp they expected Mr. Gordon, the
scoutmaster, to join them, and take charge. But it would be upon Paul to
make all necessary preparations, secure the supplies, look after the
tents, packing of knapsacks, blankets, and such food as they would need.
No one could have been found better equipped for such a task. Paul loved
all outdoors, and for some years had spent every bit of time he could
during his vacations away from town. He was a good swimmer, knew all
about the best way to revive a person who had been in the water a
perilous length of time, and besides, had studied the habits of both
game fishes and the inhabitants of the woods, fur, fin and feather.
It can be readily understood then, how he threw himself heart and soul
into the task of getting Stanhope Troop in readiness for the long trip.
Some of the boys' parents were worried about letting their boys go so
far away; in fact three were sent to visit distant relatives just to
keep them from temptation; but this move made discontented boys during
the entire Summer; for they had set their hearts on being with their
fellow scouts, and felt that they were missing the time of their lives.
When only one more day remained before the time arranged for the
departure of the troop, Paul, on "counting noses," found that he might
expect just twenty-two besides himself to make the grand march.
"It's going to be a success!" ventured Jack, as he and his chum went
over the roster on that preceding night, checking off all those who had
solemnly agreed to be on hand in the morning.
"I hope so," replied Paul, seriously; "but I'd feel better if I knew
what we were going to buck against up there at Rattlesnake Mountain,
and that's a fact."
That was a boy's way of putting it; but perhaps had he been granted that
privilege Paul might have been appalled at the array of adventures in
store for them.