A CHANGE OF PLANS
That night, as the lads sat before the fire, those who had gone on the
expedition of succor had to tell further particulars, for the others
were curious to know about everything.
When they heard how Bud Phillips had seen the two tramps running away
from the vicinity of the fire before hardly any one else was around,
of course Bluff and the four other scouts were fully agreed that the
mystery of the blaze had been as good as explained.
"All the same," Jud remarked, "unless we can show some clinching
evidence our theory won't hold water with a lot of people who always
have to be given solid proof. That brings up the subject, we talked
about on the way home--should we pay a visit to that charcoal burners'
cabin, and try to make prisoners of the yeggs?"
"Great scheme, I'd say!" burst out Frank Savage without any
hesitation.
"B-b-bully idea, let me tell you!" added Bluff.
"Whee!" exclaimed Sandy. "Nearly takes my breath away just to hear you
mention such a bold thing; but I'm game to try it if the rest are."
Paul smiled. Truth to tell he had discounted all this, knowing what an
impetuous lot his followers were, and how prone to push aside all
thought of personal danger when tempted to perform some act that might
redound to their credit.
"Plenty of time yet to talk that over," he told them. "We needn't
decide too hastily, and will let the subject rest for the present,
though I don't mind saying that the chances are we'll conclude to do
something along those lines when on our way home."
"Is the charcoal burners' shack far away from the creek, Tolly Tip?"
questioned Bobolink, anxiously.
"By the same token I do belave it lies not more'n a quarrter av a mile
off from the strame. I c'n lade ye to the same with me eyes shut,"
announced the woodsman, evidently just as eager to take part in the
rounding up of the vagrants as any of the enthusiastic scouts; for his
eye was still a little discolored from the blow he had received in the
fight with the desperate tramps.
As their time was limited, Paul knew that they should plan carefully
if they were to accomplish all the things they were most desirous of
carrying through. On that account he had each one make up his mind
just what was dearest to him, and set about accomplishing that one
thing without any unnecessary delay.
As for Paul himself, he most of all regretted the fact that on account
of the deep snowdrifts and the bitter cold he would probably be unable
to get any more flashlight pictures.
"You see," he explained to some of the others when they were asking
why he felt so disappointed, "most of the smaller animals are buried
out of sight by the snow. Like the squirrels, they take time by the
forelock, and have laid in a supply of food, enough to last over this
severe spell, so none of them will be anxious to show up in a hurry."
"But I heard Tolly Tip giving you a real tip about the sly mink along
the bank of the creek. How about it, Paul?" asked Jud.
"Well, that's really my only chance," admitted the scout-master. "It
seems that minks have a perfect scorn for wintry weather around here,
Tolly says, and are on the job right along, no matter how it storms.
He knows of one big chap who has a regular route over which he travels
nearly every night, going in and out of holes in the banks as if going
visiting."
"I don't believe you've ever had a good snapshot of a live mink, have
you, Paul?" inquired Bluff, showing more or less interest, though
still somewhat stiff with the painful scratches he had received on the
previous day.
"I've always wanted to get such a flashlight," admitted Paul, "because
the mink is said to be one of the shyest of all small, fur-bearing
animals, even more so than Br'er Fox, and considerably more timid than
Br'er 'Coon."
"You'll have to set the trap to-night then, won't you?" asked Tom
Betts.
"We've made all arrangements looking to such a thing," Tom was
assured. "I'm glad that it still stays clear and cold. We may only
have a couple more nights in Camp Garrity."
"But it's getting a little milder, don't you think?" inquired
Bobolink.
"It's a big improvement on yesterday, and I imagine to-morrow will see
a further change," the scout-master remarked.
"Then if those fellows in the cave mean to strike out for home they'll
like as not find their chance by to-morrow," observed Jud. "Course
they've got enough grub to keep them for a week. But it isn't much fun
staying cooped up in a cave, and I reckon they've had enough of it.
Sim and Jud acted that way, not to mention Bud Phillips."
"Before we make our start I'd like to take a last turn over that way,"
Paul observed, as though he had been thinking the matter over. "I'd
just like to see if they did strike out across the timber. Their trail
would tell the story, and we'd know what to expect."
"I speak to go with you then," flashed back Jud, even as Bluff opened
his mouth to give utterance to the same desire.
"T-t-that's what a fellow gets for being a stutterer," grumbled Bluff.
"I meant to say just those words, but Jud--hang the l-l-luck--was too
speedy for me. Huh!"
"Oh! as for that," laughed Paul, "both of you can go along if you care
to."
As the day dragged along the scouts busied themselves in a dozen
different ways according to their liking. Some preferred to swing the
axe and chop wood, though doubtless if they had been compelled to do
this at home, loud and bitter would have been their lamentations.
During the afternoon several went out for a walk, carrying guns along
so as to be prepared for either game, or another pack of hungry wild
dogs, though Tolly Tip assured them that, so far as he knew, there had
existed only the one pack, with that enormous mastiff as leader.
"If ye follow the directions I've been after givin' yees, it may be
ye'll come on a bevy av pa'tridges," the woodsman told them as they
were setting out. "For by the same token whin we've had a heavy
snowfall I've always been able to knock down a lot av the birrds among
the berry bushes. 'Tis there they must go to git food or be starved
entirely. Good luck to ye, boys, an' kape yer weather eye open so ye
won't git lost!"
"Remember," added Paul, "if you do lose your bearings stop right still
and fire three shots in rapid succession. Later on try it again, and
we'll come to you. But with such clever woodsmen along as Jack and
Bobolink we don't expect anything of that kind to happen, of course."
Paul himself went with the keeper of the woods lodge to follow the
frozen creek up to a certain place where there were numerous holes in
the bank. Here Tolly Tip pointed out little footprints made he said by
the minks on the preceding night.
"Av course," the woodsman went on to say, "ye do be knowin' a hape
better nor me jist where the best place to set the trap might be. All
I c'n do is to show ye the p'int where the minks is most like to
travel to-night."
"That is just what I want you to do!" exclaimed Paul. "But you can
help me out in fixing things, so when the mink takes the bait and
pulls the string he'll be sure to crouch directly in front of my
camera trap."
Between them they eventually arranged matters, and then the trapper
removed all traces of their presence possible, after which they
returned to the cabin.
"If the trap isn't sprung to-night I'll have another try-out," Paul
affirmed, "for it may be a long while before I'll get another such
chance to snap off Mr. Sly Mink in his own preserves."
"Oh! make your mind aisy on that score," said Tolly Tip, reassuringly.
"I do be knowing the ways av the crature so well I c'n promise ye
there'll be no hitch. That bait I set is sure to fetch him ivery time.
I've sildom known it to fail."
The afternoon came to an end, and the glow of sunset filled the
heavens over in the west. The hunters came trooping in, much to the
satisfaction of some of the stay-at-homes, who were beginning to fear
something might have happened to them.
"We heard a whole lot of shots away off somewhere," asserted Phil
Towns, "so show us what you've got in the game pockets of your hunting
coats to make them bulge out that way."
"I've got three fat partridges," said Jack.
"Two for me--one in each pocket!" laughed Bobolink.
Then Jack and Bobolink looked expectantly toward Jud as though
expecting him to make a still better showing.
At that Jud began to unload, and before he stopped he had laid six
birds on the rough deal table. At that there was much rejoicing.
"Just enough to go around!" exclaimed Sandy Griggs. "I was beginning
to be sorry Bluff and I had gone and cooked our birds, but now it's
all right. Here's for a bully mess to-morrow."
"We've certainly made a big hole in your partridge supply since coming
up here, Tolly Tip," announced Bobolink, proudly. "And there's one
deer less, too."
"Only one," said Jud, regretfully; and Paul knew he must be thinking
of the stag responsible for the tracks seen on that day when they were
on duty bent, and could not turn aside to do any hunting.
"Well, to-morrow may be our last day here," remarked the scout-master,
"so every one of you had better wind up your affairs, to be ready to
start home."