RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL
If Paul could have had his own way just then he would have been in favor
of allowing Scissors a chance to make his escape. But he had a pair of
impetuous comrades along; and aroused by the excitement of the occasion
neither William nor Bobolink thought of consulting his wishes.
No sooner was the lamp lighted than they sprang forward toward the
heaving heap of blankets and folded tents, where the alarmed intruder
was trying to emerge from the avalanche he had brought down upon
himself.
Some of the good brethren of the congregation might have felt inclined
to hold up their hands in dismay could they have looked in there just at
that moment, and seen all the weird goings-on that were taking place.
Still, an investigation would have proven that the scouts were not
responsible for the scrimmage; since they had a perfect right to protect
their possessions against attack.
No sooner had Scissors managed to emerge from the great heap of camp
things than he was set upon by a couple of energetic scouts. He dodged
most of the blows, aimed with such good will, though a few landed, and
forced groans from the unhappy recipient.
To tell the truth, the expression of terror was so strong on the face of
the caged Tiger that neither of his assailants could get much force in
their strokes, so full of laughter had they become.
Paul himself walked over to unlock the door, wishing to end the
ridiculous and unequal performance as soon as possible. And in so doing
he happened to leave that single lighted lamp unguarded for just a
minute.
It proved doubly unfortunate, though no one could have possibly foreseen
the catastrophe which came upon them so suddenly.
Scissors, in trying to avoid further punishment, had taken to running
back and forth. He ducked whenever he believed one of those threatening
clubs was about to descend upon his head, whirling to the right, and
then to the left, almost wild at the prospect of being at the mercy of
such seemingly savage enemies.
He was too excited to understand that if he had only thrown up his
hands, and called out that he surrendered not another blow would have
fallen. Nor could he guess that the ferocious aspect of these
assailants was but a mask assumed to hide the huge grins that struggled
for mastery on their faces.
In making a last desperate plunge to escape William the fugitive
happened to collide with a pair of oars that stood up against the wall
in what was believed to be a secure place.
One thing followed another, just as a line of bricks standing on end
will bow to the fall of the leading one. Scissors struck the oars and
they in turn crashed against that single lighted lamp, knocking it from
its cup!
"Oh!" exclaimed William, pausing in sudden horror, as he saw the lamp go
down.
There was a crash, and a shriek from Scissors, who had tripped, and
plunged headlong. Paul saw a blaze of light; and he knew that the lamp
had broken, depositing its dangerous fluid all around. Kerosene in these
days is not the same deadly explosive it used to be in other times;
still, it will catch fire under certain conditions; and he saw that
unless prompt measures were taken the church was doomed!
"Be prepared!"
That scout motto never had a better chance of being lived up to than
just at that critical moment, when the oil from the broken lamp began to
take fire in various places.
Paul jumped like a flash toward the pile of blankets, and snatched up
several in his hands. Nor was Jack an instant behind him, only he
happened to seize upon a tent in the excitement of the moment, when
there was certainly no time to change.
Regardless of any injury to the articles they were wielding, both lads
swung at the flames, and beat them furiously. Such prompt action was
sure to meet with its reward, for it would have to be a pretty hot
little conflagration that could stand against such energetic work.
But Scissors was calling out, and beating frantically at his garments,
which seemed to be afire in half a dozen places. It was then that
William, who had just a brief time before been pursuing the imperiled
lad with seeming vindictiveness, proved that there was little of venom
in his heart.
He had dropped his club at the very instant of the accident, and seeing
what Paul and Jack were doing, had hurried over also to possess himself
of a blanket. Instead of whipping this at the creeping flames which the
others promised to take good care of, William turned his attention to
the excited Scissors, who was losing in his fight against the hungry
fire that had seized upon his oil-soaked garments.
And right then and there did the lessons taught to these scouts come
home to William. Not for nothing had he learned what to do in case of a
sudden emergency, whether by water or fire.
Over the head of Scissors he threw that blanket, and then seized the
other in a bear-like hug.
"Keep still!" William was calling, as he hung on grimly; "quit your
kicking, you silly! It's all right, and no great damage done!"
But as Scissors, being blinded by the blanket, could not see that Paul
and his chum had beaten the fire out, and in imagination he felt it
still eating into his tender skin, he continued to struggle and try to
shout, although his voice sounded very faint in the compress.
Paul found another lamp as soon as darkness had fallen on the gymnasium,
and with trembling hands managed to light it. Then the four friends
looked at each other, and tried to smile; but it was a poor job. Their
faces were as white as parchment, and yet each one at that moment was
probably uttering sincere thanks deep down in his heart that the
accident had been no worse.
William had removed the blanket from around Scissors by this time, and
the prisoner was sitting down on the floor, examining several sore spots
on his hands and legs, where the fire had touched the cuticle.
"Say, did you ever see such a hot time?" gasped Bobolink, presently, as
he recovered his lost breath in part; for he had been kicking at the
fire just as vigorously as the others slapped at it with the blanket or
tent.
Paul shook his head. He could hardly realize what a fearfully narrow
escape the fine old church had had. A very little delay in attacking the
flames would have allowed them to get such headway that no effort on
their part could have won out. And perhaps that would have dealt a
crushing blow to the Boy Scouts in Stanhope.
"Is it going to look bad?" asked William, possibly with something of
this idea surging through his head just then.
"That's what I'm anxious about. Who'd ever dream that that lamp could be
knocked down and broken. Good it wasn't gasoline, or nothing could have
saved the building," and Paul got down on his hands and knees, the
better to see.
"Well, what d'ye make of it?" asked Jack, as the scout leader once more
arose.
"When we clean up around here there won't be much to show for it, except
a singed blanket or two, and some marks on that tent. Boys, we ought to
be mighty thankful it came out so well," replied Paul, soberly.
In imagination he saw the old church, which was beloved by so many good
people of Stanhope, a heap of ashes; and the mere thought sent a shiver
through him.
William pointed to Scissors, who was groaning as he sat there on the
floor. All feeling of animosity was now driven from even the hearts of
William and Bobolink. Indeed, it must have been sympathy that caused the
former to bend down over the grunting lad.
"Guess you're not burnt badly, Scissors," William said softly; "smarts
some, of course, but rub the black off, an' it looks only a little red.
Here, Paul, ain't we got something in our medicine chest good for burns?
Seems to me you carried that, and used it more'n once when a fellow got
too near the camp-fire."
"Why, to be sure we have, and I'll get it right away," declared Paul, as
he started a search for the article in question.
Such was the confusion following the upsetting of the heap of material
that it proved a serious task finding the medicine chest, which, up to
now had contained all their simple remedies. Paul had arranged
additions, with which he expected to complete the stock in preparation
for their big tour.
Seeing what was in progress both Jack and Bobolink lent their
assistance; and the dismal groans of Scissors kept urging them on to
greater exertions.
"Here it is!" called Jack, presently, as he overturned some of the
blankets once more, and fished out the little case.
"Hurrah! you're all to the good, Jack!" declared Bobolink, with his
customary vigor of speech.
Paul quickly opened the case, and produced a little box containing a
cooling salve his father had given him. It acted in a magical manner
with ordinary burns, and the boys had particularly requested that he be
sure and bring another supply for use on the tour; since burns were apt
to be the portion of those who had much to do with preparing the food
cooked over a camp-fire.
Paul set to work rubbing some of the salve upon every spot Scissors
indicated as needing attention. He found a wonderfully large collection,
for just then it probably seemed good policy for Scissors to act as
though seriously injured, lest the others take it into their heads to
kick him out of the place.
"I guess that ought to do, Scissors," said Paul, when he had almost used
up the entire contents of the box on the other's arms and legs.
"Feels some better, don't it?" asked Jack, anxiously, for once upon a
time he and the caged Tiger had been next-door neighbors, and were
accustomed to going together.
"Y--es, some; but I reckon I'll be pretty sore to-morrow, boys. Aint you
going to turn me loose now?" asked Scissors, looking up out of the
corner of his eye at Paul.
Then as though he feared he saw something hostile in the manner of the
other, he commenced grunting dismally again, and writhing as if in pain.
"Why, of course you can go, Scissors," observed Paul, "I'm sure you've
got your medicine more than Bud did his. If you can walk, come right
along to the door. I was opening it when you banged into those oars, and
upset the lamp. Here you are; good-night, Scissors!"
The boy limped grievously as he headed for the door. He kept one eye on
William, and Paul really believed that if the Carberry Twin had made a
movement as though about to pick up that padded instrument of torture
again the apparently lame Tiger would have developed a surprising burst
of speed, and fairly shot out of that exit.
So they saw him go stumbling up the few steps that led to the level.
Then Paul once more shut and secured the door.
The four chums looked at each other, but no one laughed. Though there
had been plenty of humor about the affair, on their side, still that
closing scene in the little drama had sent a thrill of horror through
them. They realized that, after all, they had been close to a
catastrophe.
"First of all let's get this room straightened up, boys," said Paul, as
he started folding some of the disarranged blankets.
Four pairs of hands make light work, and after a little there was a new
heap of the camp material, on another section of the floor. After that
they endeavored to remove all traces of the brief fire, and in this they
were fortunate, for having completed their labors it would be difficult
to detect any signs of that sudden though terrifying flash in the pan.
"Now for the ashpit, fellows," sang out William, finally. "Me to swing
the broom, after some water has been sprinkled. We're going to get there
yet, all right; but oh! my, what a time it's been! Will I ever forget
it?"
"This is what I'd call heaping coals of fire on the heads of your
enemies!" ventured Bobolink; as he, too, hunted for a broom in the
furnace room, and prepared to assist in the work of cleaning up the
mess.
Paul sprinkled first, while Jack started to place those cans which had
not been upset, in a row. For a short time there was an industrious
quartette engaged in the labor of reconstruction. When Paul finally gave
the signal to knock off work the furnace room really looked much better
than old Peter was in the habit of keeping it.
After that the boys sought the faucet where running water could be had;
soap and towels were forthcoming from the stores, and they cleaned
themselves up.
Then preparations were made, looking to an all-night vigil, during which
by turns one of their number was expected to stand guard at two hour
stretches; though none of them had the least fear that the enemy, routed
so thoroughly, would return.