THE GREAT CRUISE OF THE SCOUTS BEGUN
When Bobolink again reached the bow of the _Comfort_, and peered above
the side, he glued his eyes to the spot where he knew the rope lay that
held the boats moored to the shore.
And as the half moon condescended to peep from behind the dark clouds
that had until now hidden her bright face, the scout could make out a
flattened figure, that seemed to be hugging the earth, while creeping
slowly forward.
Not only one, but three more, did he see, all in a line, as though in
this way the conspirators had arranged to keep their courage up to the
sticking point. Each fellow might watch his mates, and see that no one
lagged behind.
Bobolink was quivering with eagerness and excitement. He figured that
these night crawlers had only five more feet to cover before they would
be as close to his "dead line" as prudence would dictate that he allow,
since it might require only a single sweep of the knife to cut that rope.
They kept on advancing as though anxious to get the job over with, now
that they had keyed their courage up to the proper pitch.
Another foot was all that Bobolink meant to allow, and then his time
would come to act. Those last few seconds seemed fairly to crawl, so
wrought-up was the waiting scout; but finally he concluded that it was no
use holding off any longer. So he suddenly called out the one word:
"Now!"
Instantly a new sound broke the silence. Bobolink elevated the object
he was hold in his hands. There came a queer, whizzing noise, like
water squirting from the end of a nozzle; which was exactly what it
was, and _hot_ water in the bargain, not actually scalding, but of such
a temperature to make a fellow wince, if it happened to sprinkle
over-his face.
It was all Bobolink's idea. He had brought a little garden pump aboard
during the afternoon, with the hose that went with it. There was a
kerosene cookstove aboard each boat, used when going ashore might be
unwise on account of rainy weather; and on this the artful schemer had
heated his water. Every time he went back to that quarter he tested its
temperature, to see whether it kept up to the pitch he meant it should
be. And Andy's part of the job was to manipulate the handle of the little
pump with all his vim and power.
Imagine the consternation of four plotters, who, when just about to
carry out their pleasant little scheme, suddenly and without warning,
found a spray of hot water touching every exposed part of their skin!
Do you wonder that they immediately let out a few yelps, and scrambling
to their feet, rushed headlong away, followed by the laughter and jeers
of Bobolink and his hard-working assistant.
"Go it, you tigers! My! what sprinters you can be, when you only half
try! Come again, when you cool off a bit! Plenty more of the same kind on
tap! Don't be bashful, Teddy; let's hear from you again, and often. Whee!
just listen to 'em howl, would you?"
Perhaps some of those who were with Ted Slavin in his little game were
more frightened than hurt by the hot water, but they certainly did
chatter as they kept on up the river bank. Little danger of them making
another try to injure the boats again that night!
Of course Spider and Tom Bates had jumped up at the first outbreak, ready
to help repel boarders. Their assistance was not needed; but they enjoyed
the joke as much as their chums and for the next half hour all sat
around, talking, and comparing notes.
But finally silence again rested over the scene; Spider and Tom
condescended to crawl under their blankets again for another "cat-nap,"
as the former dubbed it, while Bobolink and his able assistant resumed
their duties as sentries.
The night, however, was disturbed no more by any outbreak. Those would-be
jokers seemed to know when they had taken hold of what Bobolink termed
the "business end of a buzz-saw;" at any rate they were only conspicuous
during the remainder of the night by their absence.
Of course every one of the boys on board the two motorboats was glad when
the first peep of dawn came. It had seemed about "forty-eleven hours
long," Spider admitted; though he also triumphantly asked Tom Betts
whether the other had had occasion to jab that pin into him even once,
which the second scout laughingly admitted he had not.
"See there," Spider had declared, "can't I keep awake when duty
calls me? You needn't be afraid to trust a Sexton, when you need a
faithful watcher."
Before the sun appeared Paul and Jack were on hand, to make sure that
everything was in shape for an early start, for they hoped to get away by
nine o'clock.
Others of the scouts began to drop around, and from the appearance of
their eyes Paul was of the opinion that a full night's sleep had not been
enjoyed by many of the members of the troop. Of course, it was the
excitement of starting out on such a glorious cruise that kept them
awake; for it is not given to scouts very often to enjoy such a prospect,
afloat, with staunch motorboats given over into their keeping.
Since so many things had been looked after on the preceding afternoon,
there was really little to be done that morning. Every fellow was
supposed to be on hand at a certain time, ready with his little blanket,
and his haversack, in which he would carry a towel, some soap, a brush,
an extra shirt, some socks and handkerchiefs; and if he could find a
spare bit of room, why, he was entitled to cram in all the crullers or
other dainties he could manage; for after that supply was gone there
would be only plain camp fare until they got home again.
Paul was kept busy seeing that everything was stored away in the right
place. Of course the supplies of food and the tents, as well as the
numerous blankets, had to be divided as equally as possible, so that each
boat would have its fair cargo.
When the roster of those who could go was taken, just before the time
came to start, and the others were ordered ashore, it was found that all
told there were just eighteen fellows lucky enough to be in the lot.
Some of the boys who could not go looked pretty doleful as they watched
the preparations. There were the twins, William and Wallace Carberry,
whose parents insisted on their going to the sea-shore; and Horace Poole,
as well as Cliff Jones, of the second patrol, also compelled to obey the
parental injunction; when, if given their choice, they would ten times
sooner have remained at home, and had the chance of starting out on this
wonderful cruise with their chums.
Sandy Griggs, the butcher's son, was laid up with a lame leg; while
George Hurst happened to develop a touch of malaria, and his parents
would not hear of him going on the water at such a time. As for Red
Conklin and Lub Ketcham, for some reason or other which they did not care
to explain, they had been positively refused permission to go along;
perhaps they were being punished for some misdemeanor; and if so, to
judge from the long faces they showed, the like would not be apt to
happen again very soon; for it pained them dreadfully to think that they
were to be debarred from all that glorious fun which the fortunate
eighteen had ahead of them.
With nine to a boat there was considerable crowding; but this came mostly
on account of the tremendous amount of material carried. Why, one would
almost be inclined to think those boys were going off for a whole three
months, instead of not more than two weeks at most, to judge from the
stuff they carried. It takes boys a long time to learn to plan such trips
as this in light marching order, doing without everything save absolute
necessities.
Why, there was Bobolink, who ought to have known better, actually trying
to get Paul to allow him to take along that little garden pump, with its
line of hose. Just because it had come in so happily when those jokers
meant to cut the hawser, and set the two boats adrift, Bobolink declared
there could be no telling how many times it would prove a blessing; but
Paul utterly refused to carry such a burden; and so in the end it was
put ashore, and given in charge of the twins to return in safety to the
Link garden.
When nine o'clock struck, everything seemed to be ready.
"I can't think of anything else; can you. Jack?" Paul asked his second in
command, and who was to take charge of the _Speedwell_, while Paul
himself ran the other craft.
"I see you've got the extra gas aboard, and that was one thing I had on
my mind," replied Jack. "There's nothing else that I know. Look at
William Carberry, will you? I honestly believe he's figuring in his mind
right now whether he dares go, against his home order, and jump aboard,
to sail with us."
"I wouldn't let him, now that I know he couldn't get permission,"
remarked Paul, promptly. "We want to make a start with a clean record. No
fellow is going without the full permission of his folks. I'd hate to
think that any scout sneaked off, and came anyhow. He wouldn't have a
good time, because all the while he'd be thinking of what was coming when
he got back."
"Bobolink is rubbing his chin every time he looks at that little garden
pump," Jack went on, chuckling mightily, as though he enjoyed watching
the faces of his comrades, and reading all sorts of things there. "He
just can't see why you wouldn't let him carry it along. I heard him tell
how it would be good for giving us all a clean-off shower bath, when we
went in swimming; and all that sort of thing. When he can't have what he
wants, Bobolink is a hard loser; isn't he, Paul?"
"Well, he beats any one else in hanging on," replied the other. "Now
take those boxes that little old professor stored one night in your
father's mill--Bobolink just can't get them out of his mind; and he
never will be happy till you find out what was in them. After that he'll
forget all about the things. But if everything is ready, I guess we
might as well start."
When the _Speedwell_, being on the outside, started to "popping," and
then moved off, there was a cheer from fully five score of throats;
and counting the girls who had also come down to see the beginning of
the motorboat cruise, there must have been nearly double that number
on the bank.
Then the roomier _Comfort_ also made a start, and following in the wake
of the pilot boat, turned until her nose pointed down-stream. Flags were
flying from fore and aft of both boats; and the boys waved their
campaign hats, while they sent back hearty cheers in answer to the many
good wishes shouted after them by the crowd ashore, while Bobolink blew
cheery blasts on his bugle, and Bluff Shipley would have beaten a lively
tattoo on his drum, only it had been decided best to leave that
instrument at home.
And with all this noisy send-off, the two boats began to chug-chug down
the Bushkill, bound for that far-away island in Lake Tokala, about which
so many strange stories had from time to time been told.
"Well, we're off at last, Bobolink," said Jack, who had that individual
aboard with him.
"That's right, and everything seems lovely, with the goose hanging high,"
replied the other. "But seems to me the troop owes us guards a vote of
thanks for serving as we did. Just think what a lot of grunters we'd have
been this fine morning, if our boats had been set adrift, and brought up
on the rocks down below, with chances of holes being knocked in the
sides! Say, we've got a whole lot to be thankful for, Jack; and my old
garden pump stood up to the racket first-rate, too."
"That's true, Bobolink; and as soon as we're settled in camp I'm going to
make sure that the troop acknowledges its indebtedness to you four
fellows by a vote of thanks, see if I don't."
"Oh say, now, I didn't mean to hint that way," objected the other,
turning a little red in the face with confusion. "We only did our duty,
after all, if we did lose a lot of sleep. But then, I guess we got as
much as a lot of the fellows that went to bed at home. Yes, we're off at
last, and things look great. I'm as happy as a lark, and that free from
care--well, I would be, that is, if only somebody could up and give me
just a hint what those boxes had in 'em. It was so funny to have that
queer professor store 'em with your father in his mill; and then to have
somebody sneakin' around, wantin' to steal them. Needn't grin at me that
way, Jack; you know I'm a little weak in that quarter. I sure _do_ want
to know! Don't suppose you've heard anything new since I talked with you
last about it?" and as Jack shook his head in the negative, Bobolink
looked disappointed, and turned away.