REPULSING THE ENEMY
"Wow! go slow, fellers!" called the first boy who pushed into the
basement, urged on by the pressure of his comrades in the rear.
"It's as black as a bag of cats, that's what!" exclaimed another, as he
floundered among the ashcans.
"Oh! I'm nearly smothered! Help me out, somebody!" wailed poor Bud, who
managed to receive a full peck of ashes over his head as he scrambled on
the floor.
"A light! Hold up till we get the glim goin'!" called Ted Slavin, who
had after all managed to twist around at the end, so that when the door
finally opened he could push others ahead of him into the unknown depths
of the gloom.
That was often Ted's way. He liked to bluster and rage, but frequently
came out of a scrimmage in far better physical condition than those who
had said less. Some boys can always keep an eye out for the main chance;
and Ted seemed to belong to the number.
Now, the church was usually lighted by electricity. Of late there had
occurred some serious trouble with the insulation, and the main part of
the structure had to go back to ancient lamp illumination, when any
occasion arose. As this was Summer, the night services had been
discontinued until repairs could be made.
Paul, however, chanced to know that the little circuit in this rear
basement had escaped the general slaughter. He had even tried turning on
the light at one time when poking about curiously.
And when he had taken up his location just now, it was close to the
button which governed the two electric lights in the furnace room.
Paul thought that the time was about ripe to give these intruders the
surprise of their lives. Up to this moment they had been having things
their own way; but why should he wait until some one managed to draw a
match out of his pocket, and faintly illuminate the apartment?
While the followers of Ted were groping about among the scattered cans,
and Bud was sneezing violently as he tried to gain his feet there was
suddenly a flash of dazzling light that almost blinded every one.
At exactly the same instant there sounded the eager barking of what, to
the alarmed intruders, seemed to be a small dog. But it was the signal
of the Fox Patrol, and possessed a positive significance for every
member of Stanhope Troop.
"Oh! look!" almost shrieked Bud, as, having managed to recover his
balance, he saw the figures of four active boys shoot up into view from
behind as many tall ash receivers.
The Boy Scouts never halted to count their foes. It was an occasion
calling for speedy action. Indeed, if they wished to take full advantage
of the surprise, and complete the demoralization of the intruders, they
must follow up their appearance on the scene with prompt measures.
"At 'em, fellows!" cried Paul, suiting the action to the word by smiting
the nearest of the Slavin crowd with the padded club he wielded.
Scissors Dempsey promptly bowled over among the ashes, surprised, if not
seriously hurt.
"Sweep 'em out!" exclaimed Jack, whirling his instrument of torture
around his head, and sending at least two of the intruders reeling.
Immediately a regular pandemonium ensued. Ted saw that he had run into a
hornet's nest, and like the wise general that he was, concluded that it
was no place for a fellow who had any self respect. Their little game
was spoiled, that seemed evident, and it would be the height of folly to
think of conducting a fight in the church basement, especially since
punishment of a worse nature must follow when their parents learned
about the disgraceful proceedings.
Accordingly Ted gave the order to retreat.
"Skip out, every duck of you, Tigers!" he called, hoarsely; "Hey! get a
move on you, Scissors, Bud,--everybody run!"
The spirit was willing with his followers; but the flesh proved weak.
The trouble was, they found themselves kept so busy dodging the
descending padded clubs of Paul and his friends, that they had little
time for maneuvring toward the lone exit.
William was in his glory. Long had he been deprived of his favorite
amusement; and he meant to take full advantage of this glorious
opportunity to let the red blood in his veins have free swing. The way
he whacked at the ducking followers of Ted was certainly marvellous, and
every time he made a hit he let out a series of gratified barks such as
must have astonished any real red fox of the timber.
One by one, however, the badly-used intruders sped out of the rear door,
pursued by a parting volley of vigorous strokes, and breathing threats
as they ran off.
From the interior of the gymnasium came a series of noises that could
mean only one thing--despairing of escaping in the same manner as his
companions, who were lucky enough to be nearer the exit, Scissors had
darted through the connecting door, and that was him banging headlong
into posts, or tripping over the various stacks of camping material on
the floor.
The furnace room was hazy with dust, occasioned by the tilting over of
several ashcans; but Paul could see that the enemy had been almost
wholly expelled.
Among scouts a peculiar custom often prevails. Each boy makes up his
mind to do some sort of good turn to somebody during the day. In order
to remind himself of this he frequently turns his badge upside-down
until he has found an occasion to even the score. No matter how small
the service, it must be something that brings a little pleasure or
profit to another.
Well, Paul grimly thought, as he drew out his handkerchief to wipe the
perspiration from his face, if any of his chums had failed to find a
chance during the day just past, to perform a service entitling them to
a sense of self satisfaction, after this little excitement they could go
to bed with clear consciences. For had they not shown several boys the
truth of the old proverb, that the "way of the transgressor is hard,"
and would not this lesson be valuable in after life?
"Oh! shucks!" lamented William, as he leaned on his war-club, and looked
as forlorn as one of his merry disposition ever could, "whatever did
they run away for? I wasn't half through, yet. Why, I don't believe I
got in more than three decent licks at all! It's a shame, that's what!"
Paul was shutting and fastening the door again. He did not wish to have
a volley of stones hurled through the opening by the vindictive boys
they had put to flight. Past experiences served to warn him as to what
measures of retribution Ted Slavin and his kind usually undertook.
"Whew! what a mess! We'll have to get brooms, and a sprinkler busy here,
so Peter won't complain," he said, laughing as he looked around.
"Hello! look there! Get next to the ghost, will you?" cried William,
pointing to a wretched and forlorn figure that was emerging from the
midst of the assembled ashes.
It was the fore-runner of the Slavin clan, the miserable Bud Jones. He
had been tumbled over so many times during the excitement, by both
friends and foes, that he must have lost all count.
"Oh! what a guy!" shrieked Bobolink, holding his sides with laughter, as
the disconsolate Bud trailed out from his place of concealment.
Covered from head to feet with ashes, and minus his hat, he certainly
presented a most comical appearance. But it was serious enough to Bud.
He judged others by what he knew of Ted Slavin's ways; and consequently
fully expected that Paul and his crowd would surely proceed to vent
their ill humor on his poor head.
"Oh! please let me go, Paul!" he whined, addressing himself to the one
he recognized as the leader of the opposition; "I've got all I deserve,
you see, and the worst is yet to come; for when my dad looks at this new
suit I'm in for the most dreadful lickin' you ever heard about. Don't
kick a feller when he's down, will you, Paul? Please open that door
again, an' let me scoot!"
He knew what he was doing in addressing himself to Paul Morrison.
Perhaps another, like William or Bobolink for instance, might think he
deserved even more severe handling, to pay him for his share in the mean
prank that had been nipped in the bud. But Paul had a reputation for
being fair, and was also known not to allow such a thing as a desire for
revenge to take root in his heart.
When Paul surveyed the forlorn figure before him, with a thought as to
what might await Bud at home, for he had a stern father, he agreed with
the other that apparently he had been already well punished.
So he stepped over to unfasten the door again.
"I hope this will be a lesson to you, Bud," he remarked, while so doing.
"Oh! it sure will," Bud responded, eagerly, "I'll know better than to
crawl in a window, and let other fellers have the snap of waitin' till
the door's swung open. I'll be mighty careful about that, after this,
give you my word, Paul."
And that was all Bud had learned from his experience. After this he
would let Ted snatch his own chestnuts out of the fire. Small use trying
to show such a chap the real significance of his wrong-doing. Paul did
not try, but opened the basement door.
William and Bobolink hastened to line up on either side. From the
threatening manner in which they swung those terrible looking
instruments of torture over their right shoulders, it seemed as though
they wished to get in one last whack at the enemy before the incident
was called closed.
Bud saw these dread preparations with renewed terror. He had already
experienced several painful connections with those padded clubs, and was
not sighing to renew his acquaintance.
"Please, Paul, call 'em off! Don't let 'em get a chance at me again! I'm
all black an' blue now from tumbling around on the floor, with the
fellers stampin' on me. Boys, have a little mercy, won't you, now?"
William looked at Bobolink. Then they exchanged winks, for it had really
never been their intention to turn loose upon Bud again.
"Well," said Bobolink, "seeing that you've made up your mind to reform
after this, p'raps we might let you off easy, Bud. But the next time you
get caught, oh! but you're going to get it. Better quit that crowd, and
try another tack. Ted and Ward have all the fun, and you fellows take
the drubbings. Think it over, Bud!"
It was not often Bobolink talked like this. It happened, however, that
once upon a time he and Bud had been good friends. That was, of course,
before they reached the parting of the ways, the latter choosing to
throw in his fortunes with the Slavin crowd, because he thought they had
the most fun.
"I'm going to, Bobolink," responded the wretched fellow, a grain of
thankfulness in his voice, "I'm beginning to get my eyes open. P'raps my
dad'll make me promise never to go with Ted again."
But Paul did not believe that Bud had reached the point of seeing the
full evil of his ways. Had he done so he would never have made that
remark about simply being tired of proving the scapegoat; and that the
lesson he had learned would only make him wiser about acting as Ted's
scout.
So Bud hastened to leave the scene of his recent humiliation; and no
sooner was he gone than Paul again secured the door against intrusion.
"Are we going to get busy now?" asked William, as he fondly caressed the
novel weapon with which he had recently harassed the would-be destroyers
of the camp equipment, as though loth to lay it down for a broom.
"Wait a bit," remarked Paul; "for unless I'm mistaken there's another
Tiger loose in the den of the Fox!"
As if to emphasize the truth of his words there came, just at that
moment, a tremendous crash from the dark gymnasium near by. Groans, and
angry words testified to the fact that Scissors Dempsey was having his
troubles of his own in trying to navigate that abyss of gloom, seeking
to find the door, and escape by that means.
"Wow!" exclaimed William, once more tightening his grip on that
war-club, while the light of battle glowed in his eyes; "I clean forgot
that pilgrim in there. Oh! for one last good belt at a Slavin Tiger.
Paul, get a lamp, won't you, and turn us loose in there. Oh my! oh me,
what luck!"
"I suppose he's just got to be chased out of the place; and the sooner
we do it the better," Paul responded, advancing toward the connecting
door.
He knew just where to find the nearest lamp. It was close beside the
door, and Paul had stamped its location in his mind.
Accordingly, he struck a match and passed the portal. Jack was at his
heels, trying to hold the impetuous William and the equally belligerent
Bobolink in check; but unable to wholly do so.
When the match was applied to the wall lamp it gave a dim light. The
presence of electricity in the furnace room only made the contrast more
positive. Still, those eager boys possessed sharp vision, and almost
instantly both William and his fellow scout discovered a moving figure
at the other side of the gymnasium crawling out from under a wilderness
of blankets and tents that had fallen upon him.