FRIENDS AT THE FARM
On the way home, Sherwood explained how he chanced to be one of the
search party.
"You see, the Chief---that's what we call our Scout Master---was
called back to New York on business for a few days, perhaps a week;
so he left Arthur and me at Tom's farm, because it's only about
five miles from Pioneer Camp. And when your mother telephoned
to Tom, saying that you hadn't turned up all day, Ralph, and that
she feared something terrible had happened to you, we insisted on
going with Tom to look for you. But Tom said-----"
"I said she oughtn't to stay in the house all alone to-night,"
Tom put in readily, "so I told Arthur to stay with her until Doctor
Kane showed up. I knowed it was his day to call at your house. See?"
"Yes, yes; I understand," Ralph replied in a shaky voice. "It's
mighty good of you all to take so much trouble."
"Tush! 'Taint no trouble, lad! Why, anybody wouldn't refuse to do
sech a small favor for your ma. Even Bill Terrill---he dropped in
at your place to-day---even that cuss offered to go out and find you \
when he heard the news from her."
"Terrill! What was he doing at the farm to-day?"
"He drove over with ol' Si Perkins and two other wise guys, to get
permission from your ma to------"
"Oh, I know! I know what they want!" exclaimed Ralph. "The mean,
cowardly sneaks! They shan't bully mother into letting them
survey our land, on the faked excuse that the survey dad had made
isn't correct."
"What 'ud they want to do that for?" queried Tom.
"Because Perkins wants to annex a piece of our property, sink a
shaft in it, and see if the ground promises to yield any iron.
He claims that the piece he wants, which is our northeast corner
three-acre, really belongs to him."
"Can't the dispute be settled by law?" Tom asked, in surprise.
"It was---once. But now the old grafter has dug up some technicality."
"And you've got to fight him, eh?" said Tom. "Well, go to it, lad!
Go to it! I'll stand by you!"
"Why doesn't he experiment on his own land?" was Tom's next question,
born of a lively interest he felt in the controversy.
"Because the B.N. and C. Railroad wants to run a branch line from
Oakvale over to the main line, in a big loop, and Perkins may
have a chance to sell some of his land. That's why he doesn't
want to have it dug up, at present; he may strike ore. And that's
why he's going to have his whole property surveyed."
"Ralph," said young Sherwood, after listening thoughtfully to his
new friend's explanation, "you know the railroad company will have
a survey made, on their own hook. Now it seems to me, if you know
anything about surveying, that it would be a good chance for you
to join the railroad's surveyors and get in a little fine work on
_your_ side of the fence, so to speak. Don't you think so?"
"I never thought of that!" Ralph eagerly responded. "That's a
keen idea! Much obliged to you for it! You can bet I'll try."
Talking thus, the four beguiled much of the long tramp back to
the farmhouse; Ralph almost forgot the pain of his injuries.
A bond of friendship seemed already to have drawn him and Sherwood
together: a bond which was destined to be strengthened not only
by the adventure of this night but also by many future adventures
which they would share.
"There's a light yonder!" exclaimed Jack, suddenly, waving his
lantern as he spoke. "Somebody has seen us 'way off, and is coming
to meet us."
He guessed right. As they approached the farmhouse they discerned
in the darkness a figure coming toward them with a stable lantern.
The figure swung this light to and fro, up and down, in wig-wag
signaling, and Tom replied by whistling shrilly two short blasts,
which meant "All right, we're coming." Then the figure hailed
them with a whoop of joy, and ran forward.
It was Arthur Cameron. Leaving Mrs. Kenyon in Doctor Kane's charge,
he had slipped out of the house by the kitchen door so that his
impatience and anxiety might not be observed, and, obtaining the
stable lantern, he had gone forth to see if the search party was
not yet returning.
When Ralph entered the house, leaning on Sherwood and Arthur, his
mother burst into tears of thankfulness for his return and of
pride in what he had achieved. She was distressed on learning
about his sprained ankle, and, following Doctor Kane's directions,
she lost no time in the preparation of hot and cold applications
and bandages. Ralph was sent to bed as soon as he had modestly
related his adventures, and had drunk a hot milk-punch (which
he declared was "nasty") in order to offset any chill which he
might have contracted by sleeping out in the open.
"As if I weren't used to sleeping practically in the open, every
night of the year!" he complained to Sherwood, as he slid down
between the sheets, which his mother had carefully warmed.
"Do as you're told, and don't grumble, old top!" laughingly replied
Tom. "Hope your wounds and sprains and bruises and so forth will
be much better tomor-----I mean, later in the day. It's 2 A.M. now.
Good night!"
"Good night! I'll see you later."
It was arranged that Doctor Kane, Tom, and the boys should spend the
remainder of the night there; Mrs. Kenyon would not hear of any one
of them going over to Tom's house at that hour. So the doctor
retired to the spare bedroom, Sherwood and Arthur occupied a broad
couch or divan in the little parlor, where Tom Walsh and his
young cousin slept even more comfortably on an extra mattress
on the floor. Everyone was in good spirits, although tired and
very sleepy; and the sun was high in the heavens before any one
of that household awoke.
Anyone? No, not quite; for, with characteristic thoughtfulness,
Tom Walsh, waking earlier than the others, stole quietly out into
the kitchen and began to make the fire and grind the coffee for
breakfast. Mrs. Kenyon, hearing him, came downstairs at once.
She, alone, had scarcely slept at all that night. Her fears
for Ralph's health, as well as the thought of having soon to go
all the way to New York with Doctor Kane and undergo an operation,
had banished slumber. Seeing Walsh engaged in his kindly efforts,
she smiled as she laid a restraining hand on his arm.
"Tom Walsh, you dear man, go right back and get your forty winks!"
she said. "What do you mean by this?---and in my house, too!"
"You think I can't cook breakfast, eh? I want you to know I'm a
fust-class cook!" said Tom, in genial protest. "Sit down there,
now, and let me-----"
"I won't! You're a good soul, Tom, and I know you'll make a husband
that any sensible woman'll be proud of, because I can see you've
been well trained. By the way, Tom, how's Sue Turpin nowadays? And
when will she name the happy day?"
Tom colored up to the roots of his thin, sandy, curly hair. So
Mrs. Kenyon, too, had heard of his wooing of Susan Turpin, the
miller's daughter! Well, why not, since it had become a pleasant
topic of gossip in the countryside? But he made no immediate reply,
except a grin, and Mrs. Kenyon continued tactfully:
"Yes, an excellent husband, Tom---but never a cook. Your dear
old mother told me, the last time she came over to see me, that
you can no more cook than you can fly! And she thinks you're
an angel, too! So just you hand me that coffee-pot and that frying-pan,
and trot out to the poultry house and get me some fresh eggs."
"All right, if you say so," assented Tom. "I'll feed the horse,
too. Suppose Ralph won't be up an' around for quite a spell yet?"
"No; I guess not," answered Mrs. Kenyon, relapsing into a more
serious mood.
"Say, Mrs. Kenyon, why don't you ask them two Boy Scout friends of
his to stay here and help him with the farm work while you're away?"
was Tom's suggestion.
"Oh, I simply can't go away and leave the poor boy now!"
"Nonsense!" replied Tom. "You've got to go, if the doc says so.
Anyway, Ralph'll be O.K. And them two boys'll be pleased to stay.
I know they will. Take my advice and ask 'em."
"I'll---I'll see."
When Doctor Kane was consulted on the subject, he pronounced Tom's
suggestion a good one, provided the three boys could manage to
get their meals properly. This they vowed they could do; so Kane,
considering it best to take Mrs. Kenyon to the hospital for treatment
as soon as convenient, urged her to consent to the plan. He left
the farmhouse, after a delicious breakfast, taking Tom Walsh and
Jack home in his car,---also the golden eagles, which he promised
to deliver to Professor Whalen that very day.
Two days later he returned with a check for one hundred and fifty
dollars, and a letter expressing the professor's complete satisfaction
at having obtained the fine specimens. When he returned to Oakvale
again, Mrs. Kenyon went with him, in his care.
The parting of mother and son was a tearful one, though Ralph,
choking down the big lump in his throat, tried manfully to cheer
his mother with every hope of recovery.
"It won't be very long before you're home again and everything'll
seem wonderful and bright and new to you, mother," he said. "And
don't you worry about me, for I'm getting along fine. I can hobble
around quite spry with this crutch. And Tom and Arthur are on deck,
you know. We'll behave ourselves and not get into any mischief,
and by the time you're home again we'll have done all the planting.
Good-bye, good-bye! I'll write to you every day."