POSSESSION NINE POINTS OF THE LAW
"I HOPE you're satisfied now, George, about that pelt?" Lil Artha
whispered to the doubting scout, as they stepped back, after shaking
hands with the scientist, who was examining his prize with considerable
delight; not that Uncle Caleb needed the money he would likely receive
for the skin, if he chose to dispose of it; but it was something worth
while to be able to say he had taken one of those rare little, and much
sought after animals, a silver fox.
"Y-e-s, I s'pose it must be so, if he says they're so valuable," George
admitted, but in a way that told how slow he was to take stock in such a
fairy tale; so that later on Lil Artha, finding Uncle Caleb had certain
articles that had been published in connection with the wonderful prices
paid for silver fox skins in the open London market, took pains to see
that the doubter read them, and was finally convinced.
"Nothing else would have fetched me out after such a great snow storm,"
the recluse told them, presently; "only I was anxious about this trap.
You see, I knew all about the ways of mink and foxes, and also how they
often gnaw a foot off in order to get free. It would have given me a
bad feeling to come here and find that owing to my delay, and the little
animal's hunger, as well as pain, it had done that same thing, and was
gone. The forepaw of a silver fox isn't worth much, only to make the
disappointed trapper say things he'd be ashamed to have any one else
hear."
"Then we're all glad we got here in good time to nip that little escape
in the bud, Uncle," said Toby.
"And as my cabin is more than a mile off, with the going pretty poor,
perhaps we'd better be setting out for the same right away," remarked
the scientist. "I can give a pretty good guess that you've been having
some rough times, and will be glad of a shelter to-night. As for myself,
I'll be happy indeed to have you with me. It does get pretty lonely at
times, even though I'm deeply interested in my hobby of taking
flashlight pictures of the small animals hereabout. I've even perfected
an arrangement so that lots of times they snap off their own pictures;
as you'll see later on when we get to work."
"We've only got a few days to spend up here with you, Uncle Caleb,"
ventured Toby; "and we must see all there is in a hurry. We've just
about got tired of roughing it in the snow, and a change to cabin life
will set us up again."
"Then let's start right away, if you boys think you can hold out for
lunch until we fetch up at my place. The return journey shouldn't take
nearly as long as it did to come up here, because we can avoid plenty
of pitfalls I fell into. How about that plan, Toby?"
"Whenever you're ready, Uncle, let us know," replied the scout. "Can I
carry the fox for you; and how about this trap? Perhaps after catching
your prize you won't want to leave it around again. If that's so let me
take care of it for you?"
"Well, from the looks of things, it seems to me each one of you has
enough to tote right now," chuckled the elderly man; "while I have
nothing except my rifle. I'm a pretty hardy sort of an old chap, and
able to carry my share of the burdens still; so if you don't mind,
Nephew Toby, I'll look after both the trap and the silver fox."
Which he calmly proceeded to do; and they discovered afterwards that
Uncle Caleb had an iron constitution, being able to do as much as any
grown-up of their acquaintance, possibly barring the strong man of the
circus, who could bend iron bars across his knee, and allowed an anvil
to be pounded on his chest.
It appeared that Elmer had not been far out of the way when he
determined on the direction from which they might expect the trapper to
come. His figuring this out on the merits of the fact that their shots
had not gone against the wind, had a great deal to recommend it, as
Uncle Caleb admitted when he heard how scout tactics had been employed.
"I've been wanting to hear a whole lot more about what Boy Scouts do,"
he told them, as they trudged cheerfully along; "and while we sit
before the fire evenings, you must explain everything to me. From the
little I know about it up to date I'm inclined to believe they've at
last gotten hold of a very big idea, and one that's going to be of far
more lasting benefit to American boys than any other scheme ever thought
of in their connection."
"And so far as I'm concerned, sir," replied Elmer, modestly, "I'll be
only too glad to give you all the information I can scare up. Our folks
believe the same way you do, and as the Hickory Ridge Troop of Boy
Scouts has been working for some few moons now, we feel that we've shown
what a great improvement belonging to the organization has made in a
good many fellows."
"Why, here's George for instance," said Lil Artha, maliciously; "a short
time ago his people were worried because he didn't seem to eat half
enough; and now he wants the dinner bell to be jangling all day long.
That's one of the changes it's made; and I could name others, sir,
almost as remarkable."
Even George himself had to join in the general laugh this remark from
the long-legged scout brought out.
"I guess you're something of a joker, Arthur," observed Uncle Caleb,
turning to smile at the other.
"That's what they all say about me," complained Lil Artha, "that I'm a
joke, a freak; as if I could help it that my legs grew at the expense
of my body. But so long as I have the brains to go along with them why
should I care whether school keeps or not? What our scout master doesn't
tell you, we'll try and fill in; because there are heaps of things
connected with our trials and victories of the past that Elmer might
fight shy of on account of a false modesty. We have to blow his horn for
him, you see, sir?"
"And I wager you blow it right well, too," observed Uncle Caleb.
"Oh! I manage to get some kind of music out of it, even if I'm not the
regular bugler of the troop. He's Mark Cummings, and he's away from town
right now. But how much further do we have to go before we strike your
shack, sir?"
"Not over a third of a mile at the most," came the reassuring reply,
that caused the tired boys to pluck up new hope, and in a way gird
themselves afresh for the fray.
They had left the marsh behind long ago. Elmer knew from this that its
border could not be a very desirable place to camp during the spring or
summer, when it was apt to be more or less overflowed, and there was
danger of malaria if one persisted in sleeping with fogs abounding
frequently of nights.
Now that their troubles seemed all behind them, some of the scouts could
look about and even admire the scenery by which they found themselves
surrounded. Elmer could at least, and he found many interesting things
to hold his attention as they journeyed along, following in a general
way the trail which Uncle Caleb had made in coming from his cabin to
the spot where he had left the fox trap, in hopes of snaring the silver
black which he knew used that section of the woods.
Every now and then their pilot would point out some object that was
associated with certain events in the past. Here he had met with a black
bear unexpectedly, and managed to snap off a picture of the surprised
Bruin while the animal reared up on his hind legs; and then retreated. A
little further on and he showed them where the fire had once caught him
in a trap; and how he only escaped a serious singeing by discovering a
cleft among the rocks, where he managed to crawl in, and lie until the
danger was over. Then there was the tree into which he had been chased
by a pack of wild dogs that seemed to have taken a strange dislike for
all human beings, and which he had only dispersed after killing several
of their number.
All these things were especially interesting to the scouts. They had met
with not a few thrilling like adventures in their own experience, during
their several camping trips to the woods; though these might sound tame
after hearing of what strange happenings Uncle Caleb had experienced.
Toby saw that George raised his eyebrows each time he heard some
interesting narrative from the recluse. He was a little afraid the
doubter might express himself in his usual skeptical fashion, and demand
further proof to back these tales up before he could give them
unqualified approval; but fortunately George had a little too much good
sense to commit such an indiscretion; it might go all very well when
dealing with boys of his own age, but he did not have the nerve to tell
an elderly man, and a professor at that, he doubted his word.
"He's got to be broken out of that bad habit," Toby was telling himself,
every time he felt his heart apparently in his throat with apprehension
lest George make a nuisance of himself; "and seems to me his chums ought
to be the ones to do the thing up brown for George. What a nice fellow
he'd be if only it wasn't for his everlasting sneering, and letting you
feel he thought you were bluffing him!"
Meanwhile Elmer was studying Uncle Caleb. He quickly came to the
conclusion that he would like the other very much indeed. He appeared to
be a wonderfully well-read man, with a fund of information on every
subject. Besides this, there was a quizzical gleam in his eyes that told
the scout master the other was fond of humor, and could enjoy a joke,
providing it was not along the lines of practical ones that hurt too
deeply.
He was also a master of science, and no doubt had made a name for
himself long before he forsook the haunts of men, to spend peaceful
months here in the wilderness, studying the ways of the little creatures
whose realm he had invaded.
Still, Uncle Caleb was a peaceful man. He never claimed to be a
sportsman, and would not use his gun save as a means of absolute
necessity, if attacked by some dangerous wild beast; or else as a means
of procuring needed fresh meat, which did not happen very often, since
he was inclined to be a vegetarian, and had all his supplies hauled up
here by wagon twice a year.
All these things Elmer learned by degrees, and the more he came to know
of this remarkable old uncle of Toby's the better he liked him. This
business of "shooting" things with a snapshot camera, especially by
flashlight and at night-time, had always appealed more or less to Elmer;
and he rejoiced to know that he was to be thrown in the company of one
who had been more or less successful in obtaining wonderfully faithful
pictures of the small swamp and woods animals.
The boys soon began to cast anxious glances ahead, for it was not very
pleasant work carrying all the stuff they had brought along with them to
the forest; and besides, the best part of the deer Lil Artha had bagged
so luckily for himself and friends--particularly George.
"I don't see any sign of a cabin there, do you, George?" Lil Artha
remarked in an aside to the other, who chanced to be puffing along at
his elbow, and grunting after his customary style, though no more weary
than the other three boys.
"No, and d'ye know I'm beginning to think there may be no cabin after
all, that's what," replied George, stubbornly. "Of course Uncle Caleb
has one somewhere or other; but he may have gotten mixed up in his
bearings, you see; and right now how do we know whether we're heading
right or wrong?"
"Well, if you don't take the cake for seeing the wrong side of
everything," Lil Artha told him. "Of course there's a cabin, and we must
be getting close to it as we stand now. About the old gentleman making a
blunder, and wandering off, don't you know we've been following his out
track all the while. And say, what's that you can glimpse through this
little opening in the woods--in a direct line with these two birch
trees, tell me that now, George, you old humbug of a grumbler?"
Thereupon George, only too willing to be convinced, took a long look,
and then slowly admitted that he might have been too hasty.
"It does look a _little_ like a shack roof, Lil Artha, and p'raps I
hadn't ought to have spoken like I did; but even now that may be a
fooler. Just wait and let's make sure before we holler."
In another five minutes all doubt with regard to this was ready to
vanish even from that wavering mind of George, because they could
plainly see one end of what seemed to be a pretty substantial log cabin,
with a broad chimney running up the back, fashioned of slabs, and
hardened mud that no doubt resembled flint.
It seemed to be an ideal snug retreat for a man who wanted to get away
from the world, and enjoy himself after his own fancy. Here Uncle Caleb
had come for years, and his visits to the haunts of civilization had
been few and far between. As time passed on they threatened to cease
altogether, for he found more real happiness here than he could among
mankind, struggling constantly in pursuit of the mighty dollar, and
pushing others down in trying to climb.
"How do you like the looks of it?" asked the owner of the cabin, with a
touch of pardonable pride in his voice; for he had gone to considerable
trouble in order to make the place attractive; and even though mounds of
snow covered everything around, the boys could see that he had some
conveniences, such as ordinary loggers' camps could hardly boast.
"It strikes me as a pretty sight," Elmer candidly admitted; "and I don't
blame you, sir, for keeping up here. I should think you'd feel lonesome
sometimes, though?"
"I do, and used to have a friend spend part of the season with me,"
acknowledged the scientist; "but last fall he married, and went to
Europe, so that up to now I've been all alone, and your coming will be
doubly welcome as a break in the monotony of the thing."
"But, Uncle, if as you say you are alone, who could that have been I
just saw at that little window?" asked Toby.
"I certainly saw something moving inside there, too," Lil Artha
asserted, beginning to display something of excitement, as he waited for
the other to explain what already began to take on some of the elements
of a dark mystery.
Uncle Caleb looked earnestly at the window they mentioned. It was a
small affair, and as they afterwards discovered stood just above the
kitchen table, also used during meal-time, since it was the only
contrivance of its kind in the cabin.
"I don't happen to see anything there now, boys," he went on to say;
"but after all it wouldn't surprise me very much. A very large wildcat
has been hovering near my cabin for a week now. I've tried to get a
picture of the beast several times, but all I managed to secure has been
a rolling ball of fur for one, two glaring eyes for another, and the end
of a stubby tail for a third. Now, it wouldn't surprise me a bit if that
smart old cat has been watching me, and saw when I went off some time
ago. Prowling around it must have climbed on the roof, and then finding
it could back down the throat of the chimney, that's what he's done."
"Whoop!" cried Lil Artha, "a wildcat in possession, and has to be kicked
out before we can use those bunks. Get your gun ready, Elmer, and we'll
ambush the sinner."