THE LAST FLICKERING CAMP FIRE DIES OUT.
"ITHERE'S the outpost making signals, Elmer," said Mark, about three
o'clock in the afternoon.
Two of the scouts, who were pretty well up in wigwag work, had been
dispatched to a knob part way up the mountain, from which a fine view of
the lower lake could be obtained, as well as the zigzag course of the
connecting Paradise Creek.
"Looks like they must have sighted our scout master, then," declared
Elmer, as he left what he was engaged in doing to hasten over to where
the balance of the signal flags lay.
Snatching one up he began to wave it in certain eccentric movements
which Red Huggins, who held the book, knew to be a query as to what the
outposts or videttes had discovered.
"There! he's starting to answer. Everybody watch sharp, and write down
what you make it!" exclaimed the scout leader.
Pencils and paper had been made ready, though most of the scouts carried
small note books in which they entered such things as they wished to
preserve.
For some little time they watched each deliberate motion of the distant
waving flag, no one saying a word. When finally the sign was given that
the message had reached its end, every scout started to scribble at hot
speed.
Then Elmer walked along the line, examining the various records.
"Pretty well done," he said after he had completed his examination, "but
of course it was the easiest of tests, for we all felt sure the report
would be that they were in sight. They are crossing Jupiter Lake right
now. That means they will be with us inside of an hour and a half, for
Ginger is rowing stoutly, Matty says, and Mr. Eggleston seems to be
getting ready to take the second pair of oars himself for the pull up
Paradise Creek, which you may remember is no cinch, fellows."
"That's right," declared Larry Billings, rubbing his arm, the muscles of
which had been more or less sore ever since that strain.
"It's going to be a long hour and a half," said Jasper Merriweather.
"Oh! rats, just go and play with the monkey, to kill time," laughed Lil
Artha.
"I'm just wild to see what Ginger does when we take him to meet his
'debble,'" observed Toby, who had of course been hovering over that
magical balloon pretty much all the morning; indeed, so long as that was
around they could hardly get the ambitious amateur aviator to do
anything worth while.
"Somebody coming back yonder; I saw 'em flit past that open place,"
remarked Nat Scott, pointing upward.
"Yes, that's Ted and Chatz, returning from the lone cabin. They promised
to be back early, because they didn't want to miss the fun when Ginger
came," declared the scout leader.
Within the next half hour not only did Ted and his companion arrive, but
the two videttes and signal men reached camp. Having discharged the duty
to which they had been assigned, Matty Eggleston and Jack Armitage had
lost no time in heading once more down the mountain.
Now an hour had gone, and the half was passing slowly. All eyes were
turned down the lake to the spot where the creek began, anticipating
seeing the boat shoot into view.
"Hurrah! there they come!" shouted one who had climbed a tree, the
better to get the first glimpse of the returning couple.
As the boat slipped out on the silvery surface of the lonely lake, so
well named Solitude, the cheers that arose must have been particularly
pleasing to the young man who was devoting so much of his time to the
task of trying to make the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts the best troops in
the county.
But it was Ginger who deliberately dropped his oars, to rise to his
feet, and with his black hand over his heart, make several salaams. He
came near taking a header over the side of the boat in his eagerness to
return the compliments which he really believed the boys were meaning
for him, at which of course there was an uproarious laugh all around.
Then came the landing. Ty Collins made sure that the boat contained a
lot of packages, and his eyes shone with pleasure as he saw that one of
them bore the unmistakable outlines of a whole ham.
"This way, Mr. Garrabrant, we've got a surprise for you!" laughed Elmer.
"You come along, too, Ginger," called Lil Artha, "and make the
acquaintance of an old friend of yours. He's been fretting like
everything because you were so long getting here. Diablo, here's Ginger
coming to shake hands with you!"
Of course they had heaps of fun watching the look on the face of Ginger,
as he found himself confronting the hairy thief whom he had seen under
such strange conditions, and believed to be a visitor from a warm
country where pitchforks are said to be in fashion.
But it required considerable urging for Ginger to actually take the
extended hand of the big monkey. Eventually, however, they became quite
good friends. Ginger was forever supplying the captive with tidbits, and
on his part Diablo seemed to recognize in the dark-skinned man a boon
companion.
Of course, after they had their little frolic, and the story of Diablo's
capture had been fully told, the boys were eager to know whether Mr.
Garrabrant had succeeded in turning the two bad men over to the Rockaway
authorities, also if he had happened to run across any of their folks
while in Hickory Ridge.
"Make your minds easy, boys," he had replied, laughingly. "Jim and Bill
are safely lodged behind the bars in Rockaway jail. I saw Colonel
Hitchens, and he paid me the reward that was offered for their capture,
which goes to the troop. Later on you boys shall take a vote as to what
to do with the money, though I imagine I can give a pretty good guess
where it'll go from what I heard you say before about Abe and his
kiddies."
"Did you happen to mention the fact that we believed we had his runaway
monkey up here as a neighbor, sir?" asked Elmer.
"I certainly did, and he at once declared that if you could only manage
to get hold of that rogue, Diablo, it would be another hundred dollars
reward," answered the scout master.
"Hurrah!" cried Lil Artha, boisterously, "but the honor goes to Elmer
and Mark. They not only did the entire trick, but managed to get a
flashlight picture of the monkey going up in the air, with one of his
hind legs gripped in the loop of a rope. It's the greatest thing I ever
heard about! Wait till you see the picture, sir."
"But how about Hickory Ridge, sir; I suppose it's still on the map?"
asked Elmer, who knew only too well that every fellow was just dying to
hear whether the scout master had happened to run across any of their
home folks, and what they had said in sending word.
"Well," replied Mr. Garrabrant, with a smile and a nod around; "I've got
a pleasant surprise for you all. Having some time on my hands after I
had carried out my little business affairs, I just thought it would be
nice if I took my car and ran around to the home of every scout who is
in camp here on old Solitude!"
"Bully for you, sir!"
"That was mighty fine of you, Mr. Garrabrant, and did you see my folks,
sir?"
"Three cheers for our scout master, fellows; ain't he all to the good,
though?"
Now, Mr. Garrabrant knew boys and was not in the least offended by such
crude ways of expressing their appreciation. He knew it sprang straight
from the heart, and was prouder to have won so lasting a place in their
regard than he would have been to take a city.
"Yes, I saw the folks of every lad, and bear messages that will please
you, I am sure," he observed. "Here they are, just as they were sent by
mothers and fathers. And you may be sure they were delighted to learn
how well things were going. They want you to stay your time out, and
come back, ruddy and brown, better fitted to take up your school duties
when vacation ends."
After the packet of little hastily scribbled messages had been
distributed, care having been taken by the thoughtful scout master that
not a single one might feel neglected, there was a strange silence in
camp. Undoubtedly several of the boys were rather perilously near the
breaking point, as they began to once more experience the grip of that
terrible malady--homesickness.
But Mr. Garrabrant knew, and he it was who began to play with the
captive monkey, causing more or less sport, that presently had all the
boys laughing uproariously. And so the threatened eruption was avoided.
When supper time came they had managed to recover their former
steadiness of purpose to stick it out to the end.
But there was not a single member of the troop who did not treasure that
little slip of paper, bearing only a few cheering loving words in a
familiar hand, during the rest of the stay in camp.
As to what else befell the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts, and particularly
those members of the Wolf Patrol in whom we have had especial interest,
time and space will not allow my attempting to narrate here. Later on
the opportunity will doubtless arise, so that we shall once more make
their acquaintance, and accompany them on other fields of outdoor life,
where they continue to imbibe the secrets of Nature that are calculated
to make them better fitted to take care of themselves, and be of service
to their fellows.
No serious calamity came to pass as the days slipped along. They
continued to take toll of the obliging trout that dwelt in Lake
Solitude, long acquainted with the hooks and devices of civilized man.
And Mr. Garrabrant seldom allowed even a single day to pass without
endeavoring to foster in his boys the manly spirit all American lads
should possess.
The day before they expected to break camp a party went over to the
cabin of Abe Morris and brought him back with them, he being so far
recovered, thanks to the treatment of the proud amateur physician, Dr.
Ted, that he could limp, with the aid of crutches, and the stout as well
as willing arms of the boys to lean upon.
Of course the manly boy, Felix, and the useful maiden, Little Lou, came
along, for the hut was being abandoned forever.
They had places in the boats when the camp was left behind. The wagon as
well as a carriage awaited them at exactly the same place where had
burned the first camp fire of the expedition, this latter being for the
use of Abe and his "kiddies," and the clumsier vehicle for the camp
luggage.
As for the scouts themselves they scorned such a means of travel.
Browned and healthy, they felt able to walk twice the seven miles that
lay between the Sweetwater and Hickory Ridge. And besides, were they not
headed for _home_, with all that that implied in their enthusiastic
boyish hearts?
We could not, even if we would lift the veil, betray the emotion some of
the valiant scouts exhibited when clasped again in the loving arms of a
mother or a father. But everybody declared that the change in the boys
was wonderful, and that they really seemed to have taken a great step
forward in the journey toward manliness. Jasper Merriweather in
particular hardly seemed like the same weak, timid boy. He had drawn in
a big breath of "outdoors," and glimpsed the goal toward which he was
now determined to set his course.
And in Hickory Ridge that night, there was a consensus of opinion to the
effect that the Boy Scout movement was by long odds the best thing that
had ever happened to quicken the better element lying dormant in every
growing lad.
Abe Morris was easily placed in a paying position, and the boys never
lost their interest in the boy Felix and Little Lou. Just as they had
declared, the rewards coming to them for having effected the capture of
the two bad men, as well as the runaway monkey valued so highly by
Colonel Hitchens, were paid over to Abe, and went toward starting the
little Morris family in a cottage of their own within the limits of the
town of Hickory Ridge.
Doubtless the thoughts of those lads would many times go out to the camp
fires which had marked their first outing after organizing. And as they
looked over the numerous fine pictures Mark had secured, they would live
again the days when they experienced the strenuous life under canvas.
THE END.
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Transcriber's note:
Obvious punctuation errors were corrected.
First advertising page, "Campfires" changed to "Camp Fires" to match
actual name of book. (Camp Fires of the Wolf Patrol)
First advertising page, "Chenoweth" changed to "Chenowith" to match
actual book usage (Elmer Chenowith, a lad from)
Page 78, "presenty" changed to "presently" (And when presently)