THE BOY SCOUTS' WATER BOILING TEST.
MR. GARRABRANT was full of business on this fine morning.
He set about a host of things immediately after breakfast, saying that
they ought to take advantage of the opportunity to get in a good
morning's work.
Several boys were sent out on the lake to try to duplicate the good luck
attending the fishermen of the preceding afternoon. Mark Cummings was
encouraged to get numerous views of the camp, and whatever was going
on--such as would afford the Hickory Ridge scouts the most pleasure in
later days, when this series of camp fires was but a hallowed memory.
With the balance of the troop the scout master proceeded to try out
various interesting tests, to discover just how the boys stood in the
matter of efficiency. As Elmer was such an old and experienced hand in
most of these matters, he was of course debarred from entering the
competitions. It would be taking too great an advantage over the
tenderfeet scouts, who had everything to learn as yet.
First of all the scout master decided to put ten boys at the
boiling-water test. This is one of the most interesting, as well as
amusing competitions, the scouts indulge in, and one that never fails to
evoke much laughter among those who look on.
Each boy was given a tin pail that held two quarts of water, and which
could be carried by a bale. Besides this, he was handed just three
matches, and put upon his honor that he did not have another of the kind
upon his person.
A spot was selected that was possibly fully eighty yards away from the
edge of the lake, and this Mr. Garrabrant did purposely, so that if one
of the competing scouts was so unlucky as to upset his pail of water
during the test, he would be greatly handicapped by having to run so far
in order to replenish the same.
Lined up, they were to be given the word, when a rush would be made for
the lake, the buckets filled at least up to a line midway that indicated
a full quart. Then they had to hasten back to the place assigned, being
careful not to spill a drop of the fluid on penalty of losing marks for
having less than the quart needed.
Wood had to be quickly gathered, and some sort of fire-place constructed
where a blaze must be started without the aid of paper. Then the kettles
were to be seated on the stones, and the first one that had water
actually boiling, as witnessed by the scout master, would be the victor,
and the second called "runner-up."
"Ready, all!" called Mr. Garrabrant, and ten eager pair of eyes watched
him closely; "go!"
Immediately there was a race for the lake. One clumsy scout fell down
and had to scramble to his feet to take his place at the tail end of the
procession. Of course the long-legged Lil Artha easily outran all his
mates. He had scooped up his water and was on the way back before the
next best arrived.
The wise ones made sure to dip up more than they really needed, so as to
make allowances for any that might be spilled on the return flight. The
surplus could be easily tipped out before they set the kettle on the
fire.
When the whole lot had finally reached the open spot where the
competition was to be carried out, the picture was a lively one. Mark
was on hand to take a few snapshots, and catch all the humor of the
scene.
Now Lil Artha had his fire going, being far in advance of the others. As
they hustled to get things moving it was only natural that each fellow
cast jealous glances toward those who were getting along faster. In one
instance that caused the withdrawal of a competitor, for while paying
more attention to what Matty Eggleston was doing than his own business,
Larry Billings upset his kettle. After that he gave up with a grunt, for
it was the height of folly for him to think of running to the lake for a
fresh supply.
Two others used all their three matches and failed to get a fire
started, so they also withdrew.
When Arthur Stansbury placed his kettle on his hastily constructed
fire-place, long before the rest, it looked as though he had a
"walkover."
All at once there arose a shout of boyish glee. In starting to get to
his feet, the long-legged one had, as frequently happened, caught his
ankles in a hitch, and throwing out one hand to balance he upset the
kettle, which came near putting out his fire.
Mr. Garrabrant expected to see him leaping toward the far-off lake in
the hope of being yet in the running. To his surprise, Lil Artha
snatched up his pail and _ran away from the edge of the water_! Several
were so astonished at this that they suspended operations for a second
or two to stare after him.
"Oh! I see what he's after, the sly fellow," laughed Elmer. "He
remembers the little stream that runs down the side of the hill right
there, and reaches the lake. It isn't half as far away as the edge of
the big water. Yes, there he comes, with a grin on his face, and a full
pail. Good boy, Number Five!"
Once back at his fire, now burning briskly, the tall boy hastened to
spill some of the contents of his kettle, and then set the latter firmly
on the stones. Nor did he stop there. He had lost some ground, and
several had by this time succeeded in catching up with him. So down
Arthur lay, full on his stomach, where he could blow his fire, and get
it to burning more savagely, after which he fed it with the best small
pieces of splintered wood he had been able to pick up.
When a certain number of minutes had elapsed he beckoned to Mr.
Garrabrant, who, anticipating the summons, had been hovering nearby.
Together with Elmer, the scout master hurried up.
"The water is boiling all right," he announced, "and Number Five wins.
But keep going, the balance of you, until we learn who comes in second
and third."
Matty Eggleston proved an easy second, while Ted Burgoyne edged in just
ahead of Mark, because, as he claimed, his "blowing apparatus worked
better."
"But I think we ought to protest that win of Lil Artha," declared Chatz
Maxfield, although he had been one of the last in the bunch.
"On what grounds?" asked Mr. Garrabrant, smiling, as though he had
expected to hear something of the sort, though hardly from one who had
no chance of winning.
"When his kettle upset he didn't go all the way to the lake to fill it
again, as he ought to have done," said Red Huggins, who had also the ill
fortune to overturn his tin vessel when the water had begun to steam,
and who naturally felt a little "sore" as he termed it, because it was
too late for him to enter again.
"Listen while I read the terms of the competition again," said Mr.
Garrabrant. "I wrote them down so as to be prepared for any event;
that's one of our cardinal principles, you know, boys. Here it
especially states that 'any competitor who upsets his kettle at any time
during the test may have the privilege of filling the same again from
the nearest water.'"
"Oh! I didn't think of it that way, sir!" exclaimed Red.
"That's just it," smiled the gentleman. "You failed to grasp all there
was in that rule, while Arthur analyzed it. He undoubtedly laid his
plans beforehand, in which he proved himself a true scout, preparing for
eventualities, even though he may not have expected to meet with such an
accident. He remembered that little stream, and even the fact that there
was a small basin scooped out where a pail could be quickly dipped in
and filled. All the more credit to Arthur for his forethought. He doubly
deserves the honor he has won, and I congratulate him on his victory. It
will be an object lesson to the rest of you. In time of peace prepare
for war. And now we will turn our attention to another test. Perhaps
some of the rest may excel in that. I want everyone to do his very best,
and earn marks that will help to take you out of the tenderfoot class
and make second-class scouts."
It was now the turn of Elmer to interest his camp-mates. He had been
looking around before this, and laid his plans, so that he was able to
lead the entire bunch to a neighboring gully, where in the soft mud
alongside a stream he had discovered several distinctly separate sets of
animal tracks.
Here he pointed out to them the marked difference between the trail of a
muskrat from that of a mink, and even went so far as to tell a number of
things which the latter cautious animal had probably done in his passage
down the ravine in search of food.
Mr. Garrabrant listened carefully himself, and nodded approvingly from
time to time, to show how much he liked Elmer's way of reasoning.
"You can see, boys," he remarked finally, when the lesson was over for
that occasion, "what a vast amount of mighty interesting information can
be drawn from so simple a sign as the spoor of a little slender-bodied
mink. Elmer has made a study of the animal, and knows his ways to a dot.
I think he described all that the mink did on his way along here, just
as it actually occurred. And the deeper one dips into such woods' lore,
the more fascinating it is found. All around you are dozens of things
that strike the educated eye as deeply interesting and worthy of study,
but which would never be seen by the tenderfoot. And it is this power of
observation that we wish our boy scouts to employ constantly. Once the
fever takes hold, a new life opens up for the lover of Nature."
After that they busied themselves around the camp doing various things
until lunch time. About the middle of the afternoon three relays, of two
boys each, were sent out in as many different directions. They were not
to take paper or pencil along, but simply to try to impress various
interesting things they happened to meet with, upon their memories, and
after they had returned to camp they would be given a chance to note
these down on paper. The one of each pair who could excel in his
description as to the number and interest of the things seen, would
receive merit marks. And later on the three victors might be pitted
against each other again.
While the six boys were absent, for they had a couple of hours in which
to accomplish their end, those left in camp found plenty to do. Mark
spent some time in developing the films he had exposed thus far, having
a daylight developing bath along with him. In this way he could find a
possible chance to duplicate any pictures that, for some unknown cause,
failed to do justice to the subject. If he waited until they returned
home to get to work, the chances would have gone forever.
Everybody seemed happy but Ted Burgoyne, and he went about with an
expression of gloom on his face that of course may have been assumed.
"Didn't think you took it to heart so, Ted," remarked Elmer, as he
confronted the other, while the rest of the stay-at-homes were busily
debating some question near the camp fire.
"Oh!" exclaimed the scowling one, disconsolately; "it ain't about losing
my chance in that blooming old competition, by falling all over mythelf
in the thtart! Oh! no, that doethn't bother me one little bit, becauth
you thee, I just knew I had no chance against thuch a hustler as Lil
Artha."
"Then your breakfast must have disagreed with you," persisted Elmer,
"though it's the first time I ever knew you had a weak stomach, Ted."
"You're away off again, partner," grumbled Ted. "Fact ith, to tell the
honest truth now, like every good scout ought to do, you're all too
plagued healthy a bunch to thuit me, that'th what."
"What's that--healthy?" remarked Elmer, and then a faint grin began to
creep over his face, as he caught on to the meaning of the words. "Oh! I
see now; your heart's just set on doing good to others, ain't it? You
dream of binding up cuts, and putting soothing liniment on bruises. And
so far, not one of the boys has had the kindness to fall down the rocks,
cut himself with the ax, or even get such a silly thing as a headache.
It's a shame, that's what it is, Ted!"
"Well, you can poke fun all you want," grumbled the would-be surgeon,
with an obstinate shake of his head, "but after a fellowth gone to all
the trouble to lay in a thtock of medicine, and studied up on cuts and
bruises and all thuch things till he just feels bristling all over with
valuable knowledge, it'th mean of the fellowth to take thuch good care
of their precious fingers and toes. What d'ye suppose I'm going to do
for a thubject, if this awful drought keepth on? Why, I don't believe
fourteen wild boys ever kept together tho long before, without lots of
things happening that would be just pie for a fellow of my build. Now--"
But the lamentations of poor Dr. Ted were interrupted at this point, so
Elmer never really knew just how far the matter went, or if after all it
were a joke.
Toby Jones had sprang to his feet, showing the utmost excitement, and
dancing around as though he had suddenly sat upon a wasp's nest.
"What ails the fellow?" remarked Elmer; "he seems to be pointing up at
the top of the mountain, as if he saw something there. Well, I declare,
if that doesn't just beat the Dutch now; and to think that it was Toby,
the boy who is wild over aviation, who first discovered it"; and
meanwhile Toby had found his voice to shriek: "A balloon! look at the
balloon, would you, fellows? And she's coming right down here into my
hungry arms! Oh! glory! such great luck!"