"BE PREPARED!"
The two poachers were undoubtedly partly under the influence of liquor;
for the boys could see that they did not walk as straight as they should
have done. Besides, their eyes looked red, and there were other
evidences of drunkeness, familiar to Giraffe and Bumpus, who had often
seen drunken men.
This made the situation the more critical, because in this condition men
often do things that they might hesitate to attempt if not under the
influence of strong drink.
They halted not far from the fire, and looked at the two scouts sitting
there.
"On'y two boys arter all, Si," remarked the one they supposed was Ed
Harkness, as he swayed slightly to and fro, while coming to a halt. "I
guessed as haow yuh must a be'n mistook w'en yuh said it mout be ther
hull outfit. Les sit down, Si, an' make us tuh hum."
Fitting the action with his words he dropped on the ground, and held out
a pair of red and trembling hands to the fire. His companion still stood
there, glaring at the two boys, just as though they had done something
to offend him. Plainly Si Kedge was something of a pine wood's bully;
and he thought it good policy to cow Giraffe and Bumpus right at the
start, so as to take the spirit out of them.
Indeed, Bumpus looked so white and frightened that it encouraged the man
to follow up his half-conceived idea.
"Say, whaz yuh doin' here? Where's the rest o' the bunch? Know me? I'm
Si Kedge, an' I'm a bad man to rile; so don't get gay now. Got anythin'
to eat 'raound here?"
Bumpus cast a quick, apprehensive glance toward his companion. His one
prevailing idea just then was that they ought to get up, and skip out as
lively as they could, leaving their nice fire for the two rough woodmen
to enjoy. As far as he could see, neither of the men seemed to possess
any firearm; at least they certainly did not carry guns, as might be
expected.
But Bumpus saw something in the face of his chum that told him Giraffe
was not thinking of giving up that hard earned fire. He had worked too
long to get it, to desert the comfortable camp, just because two half
drunken fellows chanced to wander that way.
Bumpus saw more than that. Giraffe had his big old rifle across his
knees. He must have reached out his hand and secured it, while his chum
was still staring at the unpleasant couple who had invaded their camp.
That gave the fat boy an idea, following which he too reached for his
gun, though not making any show of it, for fear of arousing a storm.
"We've been hunting, and got twisted in our bearings; so we thought it
best to go into camp," Giraffe started to say, trying to keep his voice
from wabbling, as it seemed to be trying its best to do. "And as for
grub, we haven't got a single bite along with us."
"They lies, Si!" burst out the second man; "'case I kin see a heap o'
bones clost ter whar they is settin', like they'd be'n eatin' some
game."
"We have," replied Giraffe; "we knocked over a couple of birds, but they
wasn't half enough to satisfy us."
"Huh! got any licker?" went on Si, still eying the boys steadily with
that half threat in his bloodshot eyes, that Giraffe knew meant trouble,
sooner or later, so that he almost instinctively allowed his thumb to
draw back the hammer of his big bore rifle.
"We never use it; and on that account don't carry a drop along with us,"
he answered.
"I guess naow, ther foolin' yuh, Si!" broke in the fellow who was
sitting down. "And looky thar, d'ye see they gut guns? Them's w'at we
needs ther wust kind, sense Cale Martin took ours away, w'en he sez as
haow we're that drunk we'd git inter trouble with 'em. Bring me thet
double-barrel. Allers did say as haow I'd like tuh own a scattergun, tuh
use on pa'tridge. D'ye hear me?"
Bumpus looked to Giraffe. He was unable to grapple with the situation
himself; but perfectly willing to do whatever his chum directed. Had the
tall boy told him to step over, and present the poacher with his nice
new Marlin ten-bore, Bumpus no doubt would have done it without a
murmur.
"Get the hammers raised," was what Giraffe said instead.
"Gee! are you agoin' to fight?" muttered Bumpus; but obeying instantly.
The poacher who had made the demand made a move as though half tempted
to get up and enforce his words; but seemed to think better of it.
"I'll step over, an' tackle yuh arter I got my hands warm, see ef I
don't," he remarked.
Bumpus breathed again, for he had thought that the crisis was upon them.
He saw that Si Kedge had also stepped closer to the fire, and thrust out
his hands, as if not averse to taking some of the cold tingle out of
them by the application of warmth.
"What we goin' to do, Giraffe?" whispered Bumpus.
"Stand up for our rights, that's what," replied the other, in about the
same style of voice. "They ain't going to chase me out of this camp, not
if I know it."
"But they're ugly, and mean to give us trouble," urged the alarmed
Bumpus.
"You mean they think they are," returned Giraffe, grinding his teeth, as
if by that method he could infuse his soul with more of the fighting
spirit that was required to grapple with the situation. "When they start
to making a rough house here somebody's liable to get hurt. And as we
hold guns, and they ain't got any, you c'n easy see who it's apt to be."
"All right, Giraffe; tell me what to do, that's all; because you see,
I'm that rattled I just can't think for myself."
"Keep as cool as you can, Bumpus, and it'll all come out right. If we
can't handle a pair of fellers as unsteady as they are, it'll be some
queer."
"But if they keep right along comin' at us?" queried the other,
anxiously.
"Then shoot!" replied Giraffe, savagely, between his teeth.
"Right at 'em?" gasped the shorter scout.
"Oh! aim at their legs, like I'll do," returned Giraffe. "We'd hadn't
ought to do anything worse than that. But mark me, Bumpus, when they see
we mean business, they won't dare come far."
Giraffe was still very white, but his eyes shone with resolution. He had
made up his mind just how he ought to act under the circumstances; and
being exceedingly stubborn by nature it would require something little
short of an earthquake to make him change now.
Meanwhile the two men had been muttering between themselves on the other
side of the fire. What they were talking about the boys did not know;
but doubtless it must have had something to do with the nice guns which
they expected were so soon to fall into their possession; for neither of
them could imagine that these two city boys, as they deemed the scouts,
would dare defy them, once they ordered them to lay the guns on the
ground.
"Be ready!" whispered Giraffe again, and thus unconsciously repeating
the motto of the organization to which both of them belonged, for
preparedness is the cardinal virtue in every Boy Scout.
The two poachers had evidently managed to map out some scheme by means
of which they expected to overawe the lads, and secure everything they
chanced to have about them, which was worth taking.
Bumpus could see that they were about to get upon their feet, and this
must mean they intended to force conclusions. He shot one last look at
Giraffe, to imbibe some artificial courage, if such a thing were
possible; and he saw that while the thin face of his chum looked ghastly
white, it at the same time showed a pair of set jaws, and back of it
gleaming eyes that told of a resolute spirit. And somehow the very
realization that Giraffe could be brave gave the fat scout the
consolation he sought.
He had followed out the injunction of the other, and both hammers of his
Marlin ducking gun were drawn back, while his forefinger toyed with the
trigger of the right barrel.
Yes, the two men were about to start trouble, for already had the one
they knew to be Si Kedge gained his feet, as he seemed a little more
spry than his partner in wickedness.
Bumpus saw that he was starting to go around the fire in such a way that
it must be Giraffe who would have to look after him; while the second
scoundrel, Ed Harkness, fell to his lot.
He elevated his gun a little, so that he could throw it to his shoulder
in the wink of an eyelid, if necessary. Then he waited for the turn of
events.
"We're acomin' 'raound tuh see yuh, kids," called out Si Kedge, in a
thick and meant to be threatening tone; "an' see tuh it yuh don't give
us any trouble; er it'll be the wuss fur ye. Stand up, an' make us a
present o' them fine traps yer holdin'. It ain't right thet boys shud be
kerryin' guns, w'ile men goes without. Go on, Ed; what yuh standin' back
fur?"
Ed knew. He did not like the way that double-barreled gun was aiming in
his direction. The two boys had hastily climbed to their feet at the
proper instant; and both of them were now standing there, presenting
their guns, but not in the fashion Si had intended when he gave the
order, for they were "muzzle to the front."
"Just stand where you are, both of you!" said Giraffe, in a low but
threatening voice. "I've got a bead on you, Si Kedge, and if you want to
see how well I can shoot this big-bore gun, just take two more steps
forward. Bumpus, got that other coward covered, have you?"
"You're right, I have!" sang out the fat scout, trying to appear as bold
as if the whole thing might be only a little comedy that he was enjoying
immensely; when, to tell the honest truth, Bumpus could feel his fat
knees striking each other just like he had seen the telegraph operator
pound the key of his instrument; but if his gun wabbled, the fact was
hardly apparent to the man he was trying to keep covered.
It was certainly a fine tableau, that would often come back to the
memories of those two lads in future days. But while they seemed to be
holding the fort, so to speak, Giraffe knew only too well that they were
up against two desperate characters, and that if they slipped just one
cog, it might have a different ending than the one they wished to see.
What to do with the two men, now that they had thrown down the gage of
battle, and virtually made them prisoner, was a puzzle that Giraffe had
to solve. But his success thus far gave him courage to go at the new
difficulty with resolution. And Bumpus, content to bask in the glory of
his chum's more aggressive nature, gave promise of proving himself a
good scout, obedient to the one in authority over him and capable of
doing his little part in the game.