A PERIL THAT LAY IN WAIT
IT was an hour and more after the surveying party had trooped forth,
bearing their paraphernalia for a good afternoon's work, when Elmer
happened to remember something. He was himself getting ready to take
another tramp, though in a different direction than his morning stroll
took him.
"Seems to me, George," he remarked, casually, "I've heard you say you
liked honey pretty well?"
George stopped fretting over what he was doing, and licked his lips at
the mere mention of the word "honey."
"Finest stuff that ever was made; that is, when you get the real
article, and none of that sugar-water imitation some bee-keepers put on
the market nowadays, which tastes as insipid as mucilage. Yum! yum!
makes my mouth water when I think of all the good times I used to have
when we kept bees. But father had the misfortune to upset a hive, and
got so badly stung that he bundled the lot off at a bargain price to an
old farmer. But what makes you speak of it now, Elmer? Just to
tantalize me, because that was one of the things I had Rufus put on his
list and he forgot to get, worse luck."
"Oh! I only wanted to say that perhaps we may find a chance while we're
up here to lay in a store of luscious honey, if we have half-way good
luck, George."
"Does that farmer keep bees, and do you mean some of us can take a run
back to his place to buy a bucket of comb?" asked George, eagerly.
"Better than that," chuckled Elmer. "I've noticed a great many wild bees
working in the flowers, and I think I can track them to their woods
hive. Once we find where they hold out, it won't be hard to chop the
tree down, and take our fill of the newest stores."
"A splendid idea, Elmer, I give you my word if it isn't!" cried the
other, looking greatly pleased. "It certainly takes you to think up fine
things. And when you start to follow the honey-makers home, please let
me go along. I've always wanted to see how that dodge is worked."
"We'll all be on deck," the scout-master assured him; "for above
everything else I want the tenderfoot squad to learn a practical lesson
on how easy it is for an experienced woodsman to find his bread and
butter and sweets by using his brains instead of hard cash. But we'll
lay our plans tonight while we sit around the fire."
"Off for another tramp now, are you, Elmer?" George continued, as he saw
the other pick up his handy stick again.
"Well, yes; I don't like to waste such a glorious day; and there's
really nothing for me to do around camp, since you've taken the run of
things in your hands."
"Going off to see that wonderful child fiddler again. I suppose, Elmer?"
"You guessed wrong that time, George, because I've laid out to follow
after our civil engineering party, and see how Rufus is getting on with
his work. He certainly is in love with it; and his father will be unwise
if he doesn't encourage the boy in every way possible. I tell you, a
host of fellows have made failures of their lives because their parents
insisted on their taking up some profession they hated."
"Just so, Elmer," chirped George, "a case of round pegs in square holes,
so to speak. And when I get to the point of choosing what I want to be
as a man, I hope my folks won't force me to go contrary to my liking."
Knowing George's stubborn qualities, Elmer could easily guess that the
Robbins tribe would have a pretty hard task of it bending _him_ to their
will. However, he did not say this, not wishing to either offend George
or arouse his argumentative powers, but started forth on his tramp.
"'Course you'll just keep an eye on their trail, won't you, Elmer?" the
camp-guardian called out after him.
"It would be silly to try any other way, George," he was told.
So Elmer went on. The tracks left by the three surveyors could hardly
have been overlooked, even by the veriest greenhorn at trailing, for
they had none of them made the least attempt to hide their footprints.
So Elmer had an easy task of it, and indeed could employ his extra time
in observing many things around him.
He saw the mother rabbit start out of the bunch of grass where doubtless
her offspring lay hidden, and with halting steps act as though badly
injured. Elmer laughed, and clapped his hands as though in keen
appreciation for her cleverness.
"The same old trick birds and small animals always play when they want
to lure a trespasser away from their nest," he told himself; "by
endangering themselves in the desire to save their young. She coaxes me
to rush after her, so as to wean me away from her brood. If I started
she'd go off a little farther, and then stop once more to coax me on
again. I've seen a hen partridge do the same thing, fluttering along the
ground as if with a broken wing. Now just for fun let's see if I'm not
right."
He had carefully noted the exact spot where the mother rabbit first
appeared, and stepping over that way parted the tall grass. Instantly
there was a hurried scurrying, as a number of small but nimble
half-grown rabbits darted this way and that, as if greatly frightened.
"Don't kill yourselves trying to escape, little bunnies," said Elmer,
greatly amused; "because I wouldn't harm a single hair of your pretty
bodies. But I tell you the thousand-and-one lessons that a fellow can
learn from Nature's big book ought to be enough to make every boy want
to become a scout, and take up the study of outdoor life. There's
something fresh and new every day one lives."
By then the devoted mother rabbit had vanished, doubtless filled with
consternation over the dispersal of her brood, which she would have to
call together in some fashion of her own. So Elmer walked on, observing
many other interesting things as he proceeded, for his eyes were ever on
the alert when he went into the woods and cruised on the waters.
He guessed that he must be gradually drawing up on his three chums, for
occasionally he caught the sound of a halloo, as though there might be
an exchange of signals between Rufus and his stakeman, who went on ahead
to assist him. Lil Artha probably prowled along near by, seeing things
for himself, and with not a great deal of interest in the prosaic
operations of the surveyors.
Suddenly Elmer heard loud excited voices. He believed be caught the
voice of Lil Artha saying, "Steady, Rufus, don't move on your
life--steady, boy!"
Then came a loud report. Elmer knew that it was the discharge of the
lanky scout's gun. He was already plunging forward as fast as he could
go when this sound came to his startled ears. The others were close by,
for he could now hear their excited voices.
A minute later, and Elmer, still on the full run, burst through a
thicket, and discovered the three boys. Lil Artha had his gun half
raised to his shoulder, as if doubtful whether the newcomer would prove
to be a friend or an enemy; and with true scout preparedness not meaning
to be taken off his guard. But on sighting Elmer, of course he lowered
his weapon.
Rufus was standing there, looking as "white as a ghost," and trembling
as if he had the ague. Alec grasped his small ax, and seemed quite ready
to use the same. Something twisted and squirmed upon the ground, and as
Elmer looked, his horrified gaze made out an enormous rattlesnake that
seemed to have part of its head shot away. The chilling sound of its
rattles was what Elmer had thought to be the "chill" of a buzzing locust
upon some neighboring tree.
In another moment Elmer was alongside Rufus.
"Don't tell me the thing struck you, Rufus?" he ejaculated, himself pale
with apprehension.
"It's all right, Elmer," said Lil Artha, soothingly. "Nobody hurt the
least mite, I give you my word. But if Rufus hadn't had the good sense
to stand still when I called out, I really believe the critter would
have struck at him. And it was close enough to make a hit, too."
"I don't deserve any credit, fellows, indeed I don't!" said Rufus,
truthfully. "I was so scared that I seemed frozen stiff. Why, I couldn't
have moved hand or foot for all the money in the world. Guess that's
what they mean when they say a rattler charms people."
"It may be so," Lil Artha went on to say, "but I've known one to get
birds to flutter within reach, just as if there was something magical in
the whirr of that buzz rattle at the end of its tail. After all, I guess
it was lucky that I _did_ conclude to fetch my gun along this afternoon.
The boys were laughing at me in the morning for lugging it when I didn't
mean to fire a shot at any game. But say, a measly rattler hasn't any
close season; he's a fit object for business, summer or fall."
"You made a cracking fine shot, Lil Artha," commented Elmer, after
stepping closer to observe the result of the other's quick aim.
"Oh! middling, middling, partner," chuckled the tall scout, modestly; "I
oughtn't to be proud of it; but then I own up I was some rattled for
fear Rufus would move, and make the snake shoot forward with that poised
flat head of his. But I stopped his fun all right, which ought to be
enough for me."
"But how d'ye suppose I missed the fearsome de-il?" asked Alec,
wonderingly.
"Oh! I happened to step aside while getting my bearings for that last
sight," explained the trembling Rufus, "and must have drawn too near
where the viper was coiled up for defense. First thing I knew was
hearing what I took to be the whirr of a locust. Then I looked down and
saw it! After that I seemed to turn to ice. I heard Lil Artha coming,
and afterwards he said something. When he fired I nearly fell over,
thinking I had been shot. Oh! I'll never forget my sensations; and after
this I'm going to keep on the lookout all the time for snakes."
"It pays to be on the watch," assented Elmer. "The fellow who keeps his
eyes about him in the woods is doubly armed. We must drag it back with
us, and show George. He said he didn't believe there was any truth in
that farmer's story about rattlesnakes up here. We'll have to show him."
"But, Elmer, supposing it had given me a crack, would I have had to die?
Is there any remedy for a rattlesnake's poison?" asked Rufus.
"Oh! we'd have pulled you through all right, depend on it, Rufus," said
Lil Artha, taking it upon himself to answer the question. "I'd have
sucked the wound in the first place, making sure that I had no scratch
or abrasion about my mouth so that I couldn't be infected by the poison
that I ejected. Then Elmer here, who is a pretty good surgeon when it
comes right down to brass tacks, would have cut into the wound, and
afterwards, when it had bled freely, he'd apply some stuff he always
carries with him to neutralize the poison. Some people give whiskey, and
perhaps it does help; but science and medicine have found a better
remedy."
"Then why are there so many fatal cases of snake bites?" asked Rufus,
determined to find out all he could on the subject.
"Well, most of them are neglected too long," Elmer told him. "The person
who has been struck may be alone at the time; or if he has companions,
they become panic-stricken, and only think of hurrying the poor chap to
the nearest doctor as fast as they can. That's nearly always the worst
thing they could do, for in the time it takes, the deadly poison has had
a chance to circulate through the blood, and all the doctors going
couldn't save the patient."
"That's where first aid to the injured comes in with the scouts," said
Lil Artha, proudly. "All boys who wear the khaki are instructed how to
act in order to save human life by prompt measures, whether it is in
case of near-drowning, snake bite, injury by cutting an artery with an
ax, swallowing some poisonous toadstool in place of delicious
mushrooms, and a dozen other things too numerous to mention. You'll
learn all about it in good time, Rufus."
"I mean to, Lil Artha, depend on it," the other assured him earnestly.
"I give you my solemn word here and now that I'll begin right away. I
never want to be taken unawares again, so that I feel as helpless as a
kitten. I'm going to be aimed and equipped with the book of knowledge. I
can see that it pays compound interest for all your time and trouble."
"Now I'm delighted to hear you say that, Rufus," Lil Artha told him;
"and I promise to instruct you at the first opportunity; Alec, too, if
he is so minded."
"I am verra curious aboot it, and ye can count on me being a listener
whenever ye begin the lessons. Aye! it would hae been peetiful if Rufus
had been struck. I'd hae sucked his wound with ye, Lil Artha, or done
anything else ye asked."
Rufus laid a hand on the Scotch boy's shoulder fondly.
"I'm sure you would, Sandy," he went on to say, for sometimes he used
that name in speaking to his comrade, though always with affection. "But
after that fright I guess I'm done working for today. Let's go back to
camp."
No one raised any objections, so they prepared to return. Lil Artha
managed to fasten a strong cord to the tail of the rattlesnake, which
Alec said he would drag after him. The long-legged scout had already
shown the two tenderfeet the cruel looking curved fangs in the partly
shattered head, as well as the sickly, green-hued poison that could be
pressed from the sack by using a stick on a certain part of the said
head. They had been greatly impressed, and likewise shocked to realize
what a narrow escape both of them had had from near-death.
All the way back the talk was of the hidden perils that lie in wait for
unsuspecting passersby in the woods. This ranged from wildcats to
rattlesnakes and adders and scorpions. Lil Artha seemed to be a "walking
encyclopedia" of knowledge along these lines; part of this he had picked
up through personal experience, and the rest came through extensive
reading, or hearing others tell about it. A scout may find scores of
ways for learning useful things, if only he cares to bother about doing
it.
Later on they approached the camp.
George, who had managed to get through with his numerous odd jobs and
was resting, seemed surprised, to have them come back so soon.
"Huh! guess you got tired of the job quicker'n you expected, Rufus!" he
called out lazily from his seat on the soft moss under a tree. "All work
and no play makes Jack a dull boy, they say. But what in the dickens is
that you're dragging along after you, Alec? Great Scott! a rattler!"
George scrambled to his feet, filled with excitement. His eyes stared at
the four-foot reptile, which still showed signs of life; and Lil Artha
had assured Alec its tail would continue to jerk until sundown, even
though its head be cut clean off.
"I hope it didn't strike any of you fellows?" George went on to add with
a vein of fright in his voice.
The story was quickly told, and the convinced George had to measure the
reptile with his tape line, finding it only an inch or two short of four
feet.
"As big a rattler as I ever saw," Elmer told them. "They have them five
feet long down in Florida, I understand, those diamond-back fellows; but
as I haven't been there I can't say anything about it. For a Northern
snake this one is certainly a whopper."
"Lil Artha has promised to get the rattle for me," remarked Alec. "Rufus
had the first choice, but man, he said he'd never sleep easy nichts if
he had it hangin' on the wall of his room at home, thinking about his
narrow escape. But it's a verra curious thing to me, and I don't care a
bawbee about the sound. It wasn't _my_ ox that was gored, ye ken."
George was acting now in something of a mysterious manner. Elmer noticed
this and was looking at the camp-keeper out of the tail of his eye, as
though trying to guess what was in the wind. He felt certain that
George had a secret of some kind or other, which he was holding back,
just for the satisfaction it gave him.
Lil Artha was an observing chap, as we happen to know; and before long
he too noticed the same thing. This, however, was after he had seen
Elmer observing George closely, with a line across his forehead that
told of a puzzled mind.
The tall scout was not the one to bother himself about trying to solve a
thing when there was a short cut to the answer. He believed that the
best way to get at the meat in a cocoanut was to smash the shell.
"Here, what's brewing with you, George?" he suddenly demanded, facing
the other.
George grinned, and then hastened to say:
"What makes you ask that, Lil Artha?"
"Because I know right well you've got something of a surprise up your
sleeve, and you're aching to spring it on us. What have you been doing
since we left camp? Now don't you squirm, and try to keep us in the
dark. Own up, George, and tell us."
So George, seeing there was no escape, apparently, determined to let the
"cat out of the bag."