USEFUL KNOWLEDGE.
That was a time for rapid action, and not talk. No one knew this better
than the leader of the Silver Fox Patrol. At the same time, if he wished
to render assistance to the imperiled lad it was necessary that he give a
few quick directions to his chums, so they could all work together toward
that end.
"Allan, the rest of you hurry along and get below! Giraffe, back me up,
will you? I know what you can do in cold water. We've just _got_ to save
that boy, and that's all there is to it. Come along, Giraffe."
The tall scout never hesitated for even a single second. He understood
that it would be necessary for both of them to plunge into that flood of
water, cold from the melting snows further toward the source of the
river; but Giraffe was known for his boldness, and a little thing like
that could not frighten him. Why, on one occasion he had plunged into a
burning woods, and performed prodigies of valor; what was an ice-water
bath to him but a little episode?
Both boys as they hurried toward the brink of the river commenced to shed
their outer garments, having discarded other impedimenta like their
haversacks the first thing. In this way Thad knew he would be "killing
two birds with one stone," for they must be impeded with clinging clothes
when swimming; and after they came out it was bound to feel very cold, so
that these dry garments must come in handy.
"Jump in here, Giraffe, and I'll drop down a little further!" he shouted,
as the two of them came upon the river bank.
A quick look out on the rolling current had shown him how affairs stood
just then. He saw that the frantic boy was clinging to the overturned
boat, which was swirling around in the eddies, and swinging downstream at
quite a rapid rate. He lost his grip even as Thad looked, and the heart
of the scout seemed to leap into his throat with dread. Then the boy
somehow managed to regain his hold, but he seemed to be so excited and
frightened that there was danger of his slipping away again at any
second; and being weakened by exposure the chances of his once more
recovering his slender hold could not be worth much.
Thad did not waste a single second. He was hurrying along even when
taking this look toward the scene of the catastrophe and figuring just
where to jump into the water at the same time.
In deciding this he had to take into consideration the length of time
that might ensue before he could expect to push out to where the
overturned boat was going to pass; also the strength of the current that
was bringing the wreck down toward him.
Although the water felt like ice when he started in Thad did not allow
that fact to bother him a particle. He shot a glance upstream, and saw
that already Giraffe had reached deep water so that he was compelled to
swim. The sight of him buffeting the waves gave Thad considerable
satisfaction; though he feared that the boy clinging to the slippery
bottom of the boat might disappear before either of the intended rescuers
could reach him.
Meanwhile the other six scouts had started on a run down the road, it
being the intention of Allan to have them where they could render
assistance in getting the others ashore, because those in the water would
likely be exhausted, even if all went well.
Then Thad reached a "step-off" and plunging in over his head was
compelled to swim for it, which he did right valiantly, constantly
keeping tabs on the oncoming boat, and still hoping that the boy might
maintain his hold until either Giraffe or himself could lend a helping
hand.
All at once he felt a chill that was not caused by the icy water, for the
poor fellow had again slipped back into the churning water. But Thad and
Giraffe were closing in on him, with the latter in a position to glimpse
the still struggling lad ere he finally went down.
With the crisis upon him Thad dived, while Giraffe started to tread
water, and hold himself in readiness to help should his chum meet with
any success. It seemed an interminable time to the lengthy scout before
he saw Thad reappear. At first he feared the patrol leader must have
missed connections with the drowning boy; and then he made the pleasing
discovery to the contrary, for Thad was gripping Johnny tightly with one
arm, as he swam with the other.
Giraffe shot toward him as fast as he could go, and in another moment the
two scouts were putting into practice something that all scouts learn as
a part of their preparedness, when trying to rescue a comrade who has
been seized with a cramp while swimming--holding the unconscious lad
between them, with his head kept well above the water, they started
toward the bank, swimming with sturdy and well-regulated strokes.
When they drew near enough for one of the others who had waded in up to
his waist to reach out a hand, it came easier; and in this way they bore
the rescued boy ashore.
Thad was already shivering with the cold, but he kept his wits about him,
and gave such orders as he saw were necessary.
Allan and several of the other scouts were directed to try and
resuscitate the apparently drowned boy; while Bumpus and Smithy started
as big a fire as they could manage, so that all of them might warm up.
Meanwhile Thad and Giraffe jumped around, and slapped their arms
furiously in the endeavor to get up a good circulation of blood.
The poor woman came upon them at this unfortunate moment, while Allan
kneeling over the wet form of her boy was kneading his chest after the
most approved fashion known to life-savers; and a couple of the other
fellows were working his arms back and forth above his head as though
they gripped pump-handles.
"Oh! he's dead, my boy Johnny is dead!" wailed the mother, starting to
throw herself upon the group; when Bob White, although full of sympathy
for her harrowed feelings, knew that to stop the proceedings just then
might end what hope there existed for saving a life.
Accordingly, he caught her in his arms, and insisted in restraining her,
at the same time speaking words of hope and cheer.
"You mustn't interfere with them, ma'am," he told her soothingly;
"they've got the water out of his lungs, and are trying to start
artificial breathing by pumping him that way. There's lots of hope he'll
come out all right, because he wasn't under the water long. Why, I
believe I saw his eyelid flutter right then. Yes, suh, it did the same
again. It's a fact, and you're bringing him along handsomely, fellows. So
you see, ma'am, you're not going to lose Johnny after all!"
The woman knelt there, awed, and watched the slow recovery of her boy.
After a little while he began to breathe naturally; then his eyes opened,
and he even made an effort to struggle, possibly being still impressed
with the horror of his recent peril.
Before that time the fire had got to burning splendidly, and both boys
who had been in the river crowded as close to the warmth as possible,
feeling much better on account of it. Thad, too, could think again, and
direct his chums what to do. One of them ran to the cabin and came back
with a blanket, which was wrapped around the now recovered but shivering
Johnny; after which Step Hen and Allan assisted the small boy to reach
his home, with the rejoicing mother following at their heels, crying now,
but with happiness.
Allan told her just what to do in order that no ill effect, such as
pneumonia, should follow the immersion, and she promised to keep him in
bed, and give him warm liquid food until he was feeling himself again.
When the two scouts turned to leave her the poor woman kissed them both,
much to their confusion; for they felt that the thanks were due to Thad
and Giraffe, if anybody, since they were the ones who had risked
something in order to save the drowning boy.
Of course this was going to detain them for perhaps an hour, because
those who had been in the water wished to thoroughly dry their clothes,
at least such as they had taken with them into the river.
Both had been wise enough to tear off leggins and shoes before leaving
the shore, as swimming would have been next to impossible otherwise; and
this counted considerably in their favor now.
While they sat around the blaze, waiting until Thad gave the signal for
another start, the boys thought it wise to make their noonday meal, so
they would not have to stop again.
Of course the talk was pretty much all upon the subject of rescuing
persons who were in danger of being drowned; and also of resuscitating
those who had been pulled out of the water apparently far gone.
Thad, as usual, did not let the chance slip to deliver a few telling
remarks connected with a knowledge of certain kinds which all scouts are
required to attain before they can become shining lights in the
profession, or hope to rise to the position of second or first class
scouts.
"If there's one splendid thing this scout business has done for boys
above another," he went on to say, as they sat around the fire, "I think
it is the fact that every tenderfoot has to learn how to swim during his
first season in camp. How many thousands of lives might have been saved
in the past if all boys over eight years of age had been taught how to
keep themselves afloat in the water. If the movement had never done a
single thing more than that it would deserve to be reckoned the finest
thing that ever happened for American youth."
"Yes," Giraffe went on to add, "and think how many a fellow has been
saved from drowning, just as little Johnny here was, first by being taken
from the water, and then in having the spark of life coaxed back. You
worked that as fine as anything I ever saw, Allan, and the rest of you.
Thad and me felt so shivery cold I'm afraid we couldn't have done it
alone by ourselves. A whole lot of the credit goes to the rest of you,
and we want you to know that. It was a patrol rescue, and something the
boys of the Silver Fox can be proud of always."
That was just like Giraffe, who could be one of the most generous-hearted
fellows ever known when he wanted to. That he felt considerable remorse
because of his reckless way of sending poor Bumpus into that field with
the angry mother cow had been patent to Thad early that morning, when he
saw Giraffe asking Bumpus to lean on him, after the stout scout had
mentioned the fact that he was feeling somewhat stiff following his
unusual exertions of the previous day.
"According to my notion," Step Hen broke in with, "no boy should ever be
allowed to go out in a boat on the water unless he knows how to swim."
"I agree with you there, Step Hen," the patrol leader added; "and yet how
often you see boys taking the greatest kind of chances, when if an upset
comes along they're as helpless as babies. That mother has learned a
lesson; and chances are Johnny never goes in a boat again till he can
swim like a fish."
"But boys are not the only ones who take such chances," Allan argued;
"why, in the days gone by when nearly all ships were sailing vessels, and
not steamers, it wasn't a strange thing to find dozens of old jack tars
who had spent their whole lives at sea, and yet never swam a stroke. It
seems queer, and hard to believe, but I've heard men tell that who knew."
"Things are going to be different after this, then," said Davy, "because
every Boy Scout has got to learn how to swim, or he'll stay a tenderfoot
all his days; and no one wants to do that, you know."
"What happened to the boat; none of you thought to rescue that at the
same time?" Smithy wanted to know.
"Oh! it wasn't worth saving," Giraffe told him; "and after what happened,
Johnny's mother would never want to see it again. We had our hands too
full getting him to the bank to bother about that cranky old junk. It'll
bring up somewhere below, like as not, or else float out on the
Chesapeake Bay around Havre de Grace, where they used to have such great
duck shooting years ago, because of the wild celery beds that grew
there."
Giraffe was fond of hunting, and knew considerable in connection with his
favorite sport, which information he delighted to impart to his chums at
divers times and on sundry occasions. Once upon a time he had been like
most thoughtless boys, so intent on filling his gamebag, or catching a
record number of fish, that slaughter counted little with him; but after
joining the troop Giraffe had learned what a true sportsman should be,
and since then was never known to inflict needless pain, or destroy game
or game fish when they could not be used for food.
These numerous useful things which scouts learn have the knack of curbing
the half savage instinct that seems to repose within nearly all boys'
breasts; and which they say must have descended to them from far-back
ancestors.
By the time lunch had been dispatched Thad and Giraffe declared they were
as good as new again, since every particle of their clothes had been
thoroughly dried. There was a general scrutiny on the part of all hands,
so as to make sure nothing had been forgotten in the excitement. Thad had
sent several of them back over the ground, to pick up every object thrown
aside in that mad scramble, from guns and knapsacks to clothes and shoes.
Outside of a little delay, which they expected would not matter much,
they had not suffered in the least because of this sudden and unexpected
call upon their services. And to have saved a human life was certainly
worth ten times as much as they had done.
Bumpus at a signal from the leader sounded his bugle, and once more the
little detachment of khaki-clad boys started along the river road, headed
southeast, and with a positive assurance that the man whom they sought,
the hobo wearing the old blue army overcoat, was somewhere ahead of them.
In this manner they tramped for several miles, constantly on the lookout
for any signs of their quarry. Thad frequently searched for the marked
footprint, and as often discovered it plainly marked in the yielding mud
close to the road; so that they had no fear of overlapping the fugitive.
It was about this time that Bumpus was heard grumbling to himself.
"What's wrong now, Bumpus; want a little help on account of that stiff
leg?" asked Giraffe, turning around.
"'Taint that," returned the other quickly, as if scorning to show signs
of fatigue when the others were capable of keeping up the pace.
"Well, what are you grunting about, then, tell us?" demanded Step Hen,
who was himself limping a little, because of a pebble that had managed to
work into his shoe despite the protecting legging, and hurt his foot
before he bothered getting it out.
"Why, you see," began Bumpus naïvely, "it's started to rain at last,
that's all!"