RED PLAYS THE PART OF THE CRAFTY FOX.
WHEN the acting scout-master thus asked the recognized bully of
Fairfield to accompany him, he had several good reasons for the step,
strange as it might seem to Mark and the others, who fancied that
possibly Matt should be posted at some distance where he was likely to
do no harm.
But Elmer preferred to have him under his own eye. Moreover, the scheme
upon which he was embarked was tinged with more or less danger; and Matt
was a husky chap, capable of giving a good account of himself.
But then Matt Tubbs was not the only one who accompanied the leader.
Elmer had chosen to take with him Ted, Lil Artha, Toby, Mark, Landy and
Tom Cropsey. This left five others, and they were also divided into two
detachments, one consisting of Matty, Phil, Chatz, Ty; while Red Huggins
made up the other all by himself.
As to the plan of campaign, it might be well to explain what Elmer had
fashioned in his mind, as justifying their efforts.
He had noticed, when spying around the further end of the long log
cabin, an odd tunnel underneath the walls. This, no doubt, had been made
by some woodchuck or other animal, desirous of finding a snug winter
home.
Elmer fully believed that the passage was amply large enough to allow a
boy to crawl through. And as it was apparently situated at that end of
the building least likely to be used by the tramps, he expected that he
and his mates would be able to creep in without being discovered.
Supposing his expectations were fulfilled; then the second detachment
was to hide as near the door of the cabin as they could. Finally, Red,
at some little distance, was to play his part in the game.
Red had always been known as a most adroit "fox" in the games the lads
of Hickory Ridge played. Once he started out to elude those hounds set
upon his track, none had ever been successful in overtaking him. His
methods of dodging and doubling on his track were famous throughout all
the region, and in selecting him for the part of fox Elmer knew just
what to expect.
Red was to "toll" the tramps out of the cabin and lose them somewhere in
the depths of the woods. Meanwhile, with perhaps a clear field before
them, Elmer and his scouts could easily accomplish the balance of the
affair.
Of course there was always the question as to whether it would work.
Following the lead of the scout master, the little squad of boys slipped
around so as to come upon the long cabin from the rear. Everything
seemed peaceful. No one was in sight, the men having apparently stepped
inside again after Dolph and little Ruth had been fed.
This was as it should be, and Elmer had indeed figured on it when laying
his plans. In single file they approached as near as was deemed safe;
then, at a signal from the leader, the scouts dropped flat behind some
bushes. From this point on, their progress must be much slower, since
they would have to do considerable crawling.
Before making a move, however, Elmer gave the signal that was to start
the other detachments. This, as agreed on, consisted of the harsh cry of
the bluejay, and which in the still air of the woods could be easily
heard for a long distance.
After that things were to happen in regulation order. Elmer had
calculated just how long it might take his band to obtain entrance to
the cabin; also for the other detachment to find a hiding place near by.
Red was scheduled to commence operations just half an hour after he
heard the bluejay cry three times. And to make sure, he carried the
nickel watch of Chatz with him.
"Come on, fellows, and be careful, every one," was the low whisper which
Elmer allowed to float back over his shoulder.
Having been over the ground once before, and with his customary sagacity
memorized every little point that could be used to advantage, Elmer was
not in the least dismayed at certain obstacles that from time to time
had to be surmounted.
Ten minutes after the signal had been given he led his line of creeping
scouts up to the further end of the long, low cabin. And so far as they
knew no hostile eye had taken note of their coming.
The tunnel was close at hand. Its smooth walls told of the many times
the animal responsible for its presence had crept in and out. And Elmer
noted with considerable satisfaction that his former conception of its
capacity had not been amiss. Yes, even the stoutest of the scouts could
pass through, with a little assistance.
Even here the shrewdness of the young scout-master showed itself. He had
arranged his schedule so that this individual, who chanced to be Landy,
always known as a fat youth, though fond of all outdoor sports, should
come last. This, it may be noted in passing, was done so that in case he
did stick in the tunnel he might not block the passage of others whose
presence was vital to the success of the plan.
Elmer never forgot anything he heard or read, and it happened that not
so very long before he had been interested in an account of the escape
from Libby Prison of a large number of Union prisoners during the dark
days of the Civil War, and vividly remembered how there might have been
many more follow the same route only that an ambitious fat man closed
the passage, since he could neither go on nor return.
Of course it was the intention of the scout-master himself to lead the
way. He could not think of delegating that important function to any one
else. And Lil Artha was to follow at his heels, to be succeeded by
others, Matt Tubbs coming just before Landy, on account of his size.
Lying on his back, Elmer started in head first. This he did because the
tunnel performed a quick curve upward, after once passing under the
lower log; and as most boys are not as supple as gymnasts and
contortionists, and cannot bend backward the same as forward, he knew
this was the only way of passing through.
Using his heels to help propel his body forward, and being gently
assisted by little pushes from his mates, Elmer readily went through the
ceremony of imitating the woodchuck that had used the hole during the
past winter.
As he raised his head above the level of the earthen floor he took a
quick observation. The boys outside gave an inclination of continuing
the pushing movement, so that it became necessary for him to kick in a
way they would understand meant a temporary halt.
It was not very light inside the long cabin, because there were only a
few openings that had served as windows, and even some of these had
become clogged with stray rubbish in the years that elapsed since the
logging camp knew life and bustle.
After a brief interval, however, Elmer was able to see fairly well. Just
as he had anticipated, those who now occupied the place were down near
the door at the other end.
First of all he made out that the three men and one little girl
comprised the entire list of occupants. This pleased him, because as yet
he had not been positive on this point; and if it proved that there were
half a dozen tough characters assembled under the roof of the log
bunk-cabin, the work which the scouts had laid out for themselves must
have been considerably extended.
Ruth was by herself. She had eaten at the command of her stepfather, but
not with any heart in the matter, and now she was huddled in a little
bunch, possibly crying under her breath, for she did not dare do
anything more to anger the man she feared.
The three men were sprawled out in some of the old bunks. A bundle of
dried grass made a fair mattress for fellows unused to anything better,
and they seemed quite satisfied with their surroundings.
Elmer knew that he must not linger too long. Behind him were seven
impatient fellows, all anxious to do that great crawling stunt. So he
once more got in motion and wriggled himself into the cabin.
Luckily the tall, thin tramp whom Elmer mentally called Skinny, even as
Fatty covered the stout, happy-go-lucky chap, had a voice like a
fog-horn; and a laugh that was as raspy as a file; so that when he got
going there was little chance of any slight sound from the end of the
long cabin being noticed.
And as the squirrels ran haphazard all over the roof of the building,
any such sound would of necessity be attributed to them, for such a
thing as a hostile force penetrating this far into the timber would
never strike any of the men as possible.
A touch on the arm presently warned Elmer that the first of his
followers had wormed his way through that crooked passage. Trust the
angular Lil Artha for being able to navigate a zigzag tunnel with
greatest ease. No doubt he slipped in and out with almost the handiness
with which one might crack a whip.
Then came Toby, Mark and Tom. After that there was a slight hitch, as
though perhaps Matt Tubbs might be having a little difficulty; but they
could hear faint scratching sounds from the tunnel that proved he was
coming along. As for Landy, it did not matter materially whether he
arrived or not, so long as he did nothing to alarm the enemy.
Everything was apparently working just as Elmer, like a wise general,
had figured on. The three men still continued to talk and argue, being
worked up over some sort of proposition that Dolph seemed to be putting
before the others.
Several words that came to the ears of Elmer from time to time convinced
him that Dolph Gruber was fully as bad a man as he had suspected, for
there could be no doubt but that he was now actually planning to lead
his reckless companions on a raid of some sort, looking to robbery as a
reward of their enterprise.
It must be getting on toward the time appointed when Red was expected to
take up his part of the game.
Landy had not yet arrived, but he was heroically endeavoring to join his
comrades. Indeed, during a temporary lull in the conversation of the
trio of men at the other end of the cabin, Elmer could hear a gasping
sound from the tunnel that alarmed him not a little, lest it attract the
attention of the plotters, and lead to a search calculated to upset all
their well-laid plans.
So he immediately pushed down into the mouth of the tunnel, and groping
around until he came in contact with the clawing hands of the stout boy,
began to gently but firmly drag him through.
It was a tight fit, but luckily Landy made it, though only for the
assistance Elmer gave him he must have stuck there ingloriously until
the end of the affair, and thus been unable to assume his proper share
in the rescue of little Ruth.
All were now on hand, Landy panting in a way that made Lil Artha dig his
elbow into his ribs as a warning that he was making altogether too much
noise.
"Why don't Red start his bazoo?" whispered that long-legged worthy in
Elmer's ear, as he lay flattened out on the ground in the gloomy far-end
part of the loggers' bunk-house.
"Never fear, you can count on Red to do his part," was what the scout
master managed to convey in the same sort of careful whisper; and
fearful lest Arthur, who was known to be rather talkative, get fairly
started, when it was most unwise to indulge in any conversation with
those enemies so close by, Elmer gave a gentle "'sh!" to signify that
silence just then was golden.
The impatient ones were counting the seconds, and wondering how they
could ever hold out much longer. Elmer kept watching the three men,
knowing that through their actions at least he could readily tell when
the expected break had come.
Ruth still had her face hidden in her dress, and was doubtless filled
with grief because of this cruel enforced separation from her own
mother.
And as he thus waited, his heart beating faster than its wont, Elmer
caught a faint cry. It came from some distance off, and seemed to be
filled with the utmost distress.
"Help! oh! help!"
The time limit having expired, that was Red getting in his work as the
crafty fox attempting to coax the hounds on a false scent.
The three men had started up. They were looking at each other, as
though hardly knowing what to make of it. To hear a call for assistance
in this lonely vicinity was certainly enough to bewilder, yes, and
perhaps to alarm anyone; especially men whose past had been so very
shady that they suspected everything which they could not fully
understand.