BUMPUS MAKES A FIND.
"I say, Thad, come over here with me; I've got something to show you,"
remarked Allan, about half an hour after they had finished lunch, and
while most of the boys were lying around, taking it easy.
The young acting scout-master quickly followed his chum, who led the way
back of the tents and into the timber. Here they discovered Giraffe,
bending down, and so industriously engaged with some object he had in
hand that he seemed to pay no attention to anything else.
At first Thad thought the boy was sawing something, for there was a
continuous movement to his right arm, and a sort of low, buzzing sound;
but then he knew they had not brought a saw of any kind along with them,
an ax and a hatchet being the only tools considered necessary in camp.
Presently Giraffe halted, to draw out a red bandana handkerchief with
which to wipe his dripping forehead, while he stared hard at the object
he had before him, and looked dubious enough.
Thad saw now what it was, and he could hardly keep from laughing as the
determined boy once more started sawing away as though his very life
depended on his accomplishing the end he had in view.
The object he had in his right hand was a queer sort of a little bow,
made by fastening a stout cord to a piece of bent hickory. This cord was
doubled around a stick that stood upright, its pointed lower end placed
in a sort of hollow wooden dish where a socket had been scooped out. The
upper was also kept from burning the hand of the aspiring scout by
another bit of wood.
Of course Thad knew what Giraffe was trying to do. Deprived of matches
for the balance of the day, and feeling a gnawing desire to see a fire
sparkling, the scout had started in to try and make a blaze after the
old-fashioned method used by some South Sea islanders. But evidently the
boy did not twirl the stick fast enough to produce sufficient heat to
make the fine tinder smoke, and then take fire. Giraffe's ambition was
commendable, however, and so Thad said nothing; only crept away again,
after touching Allan on the arm, and beckoning.
"What are you going to do about it?" asked the latter, when they had
reached a safe position, where their voices might not be heard by the
object of their attention.
"Why, nothing, I suppose," replied Thad, smiling. "Did you ever see such
a fellow in all your life? He's a regular fire worshipper. I think he
must have come down from the old Aztecs in Mexico. He's never happy
without his little blaze."
"But he might get fire after all?" protested Allan.
"Between you and me, my boy, I don't think he will this time. Evidently
he's never tried that game before; and no fellow ever succeeds at it the
first time. It's harder than it seems. Let Giraffe work away; he'll have
his fingers sore with the business before he gives up."
"But what do you think makes him experiment that way right now, when he
knows you're trying to put a curb on his weakness for building fires?"
the other demanded.
"Well, in the first place, I suppose he feels like starting _something_;
and then again, Allan, it's a part of a boy's nature, you know, to
always want to do that very thing he's been told he musn't do. Now,
Giraffe wants to show me that even keeping matches away from him won't
prevent a really smart scout from making a fire, in case he feels like
it. My praise of this morning must have spurred him on to let us see
just what he can do."
"But if the bow and spindle way turns out bad, there's an easier chance
for him, if he only thinks of it," said the Maine boy.
"What's that?" asked Thad, smiling calmly.
"Why, all he's got to do is to take one of the lens out of the field
glasses we have along with us; and as the sun is hot enough, he could
set fire to some tinder in three shakes of a lamb's tail. Why, I've
started fires that way dozens of times myself, when matches were scare
with us in the pine woods."
Thereupon Thad quietly drew something, from each pocket in his khaki
trousers.
"Well, I declare, you thought of that same thing, didn't you?" exclaimed
the astonished Allan; "and took the trouble to remove both lens, so as
to upset his calculations if he started to try the dodge. Giraffe has to
be pretty cunning to get ahead of you, all right, Thad."
"But I never imagined he'd be trying that saw method," admitted the
scout-master. "There, he's given it up and thrown his bow away. Next
time he'll like as not make some improvement on that outfit. It must
have been faulty, so he just couldn't get enough speed out of it. For
the thing can be done; and I've seen it more than once, though I never
could make fire that way myself."
"Giraffe has one good quality," admitted Allan, "and that's persistance.
Once he makes up his mind to do a thing and he hates the worst kind to
quit."
"Especially around grub time," chuckled the other.
"Oh! that's a little weakness of his. Step-hen says he must have hollow
legs, or how else could he stow away all he does, and never show it. But
just look how the sun shines on the trees over across the water, where
that pretty little island lies in the middle of the lake. I never saw a
nicer camping place, Thad."
"And the same here," admitted the scout-master. "I've about made up my
mind I'd like to investigate that island, even if we can't hope to get
the whole outfit over. You're a good swimmer, Allan, what do you say to
going across?"
"Alone, or with you?" asked the other, quickly.
"Oh! I wouldn't think of sending any one alone," remarked the
scout-master. "You know, some of the boys have already said the island
had a terrible mysterious look, as though it might be concealing some
wonderful secret. The more they talk about it, and speculate that way,
the stronger grows my desire to explore it."
"Then let's call it a go. Think we can leave the rest of the patrol
alone for an hour or two this afternoon?" asked Allan, eagerly, as he
too cast wistful looks across the shimmering water toward the strange
little island that lay nestling there so modestly.
"If they're put on their honor to behave, they'll be all right," replied
Thad. "A scout must never dream of breaking his word, once given. That
is a part of his creed, you know, Allan; and even Bumpus understands
that."
"By the way, where is Bumpus; I haven't noticed him around in camp for
ten minutes or more?" remarked the second in command.
"I suppose he's wandering around somewhere close by," replied Thad.
"Bumpus certainly has got a big bump of curiosity, and is always poking
into everything he can think of. I heard him asking you this very
morning when you would find a bee-tree for him, the way you used to do
up in Maine. He's just bound to get honey, if there's any to be found
around this region."
"Yes, and I said I would try it out while we were up here, if the
chance came. You see, perhaps there mightn't happen to be any wild bees
around, for I haven't noticed 'em working."
"Oh! make up your mind to that," declared Thad. "I've heard several
farmers tell how they lost a fine swarm, no matter how much racket they
kicked up with dishpans and all sorts of tin buckets. There are lots of
bee trees in this region I'd be willing to wager now. And if we could
find one, it would be great. I like honey about as well as the next
fellow, don't you forget it, Allan."
"There goes Giraffe into the tent; and from the sly way he looked
around, I've got an idea he's suddenly remembered the lens in that field
glass, and means to try one of them with the rays of the sun, to make a
little fire."
"Yes, Allan, I saw him; and just as you say, if his manner counts for
anything, that's just what Giraffe has in hand. But won't he be the most
surprised boy in seven counties when he finds that the lens have been
taken from the glass?"
"There he comes out now, and say, don't he look sheepish, though?" Allan
went on to remark. "I can see him peeping out of the corner of his eye
at you; and just make up your mind Giraffe is saying to himself that
it's a mean game to cheat a poor fellow out of a little expected
pleasure that way."
"On the other hand," remarked the scout-master, "I reckon he feels cheap
to know that I'm on to his game, and have made ready to upset his
calculations. But next time I'll put him on his honor not to try and
make a fire in any way, shape or style. Now, I don't fancy going away
with Bumpus absent. He might get into trouble while we were off. Perhaps
I'd better take his bugle, and give a few notes to let him know he's
wanted."
"A fine idea, Thad," observed Allan; "I'll go and get it for you, as I
happen to know just where Bumpus keeps it inside the tent here. He's
just the opposite of Step-hen, and never leaves his things scattered
around."
He had even climbed to his feet, for they were sitting at the time, when
there broke out a sudden clamor that caused Allan to turn quickly, and
give his superior officer a meaning look.
For the voice that made all that racket was only too well known to both
boys; in that it belonged to the very scout about whom they had been
talking.
Bumpus must be in some trouble again, if they could judge from the noise
he was making. Immediately visions of rattlesnakes, and all manner of
dangers connected with the forest trails, flashed into the mind of Thad.
What could the luckless fat boy have stumbled into now? That bump of
curiosity which he was pleased to term his "investigating spirit," must
have led him into some fresh difficulty.
The boys were all on their feet by this time, and several had even
snatched up the stout staves which had proven so useful during their
arduous tramp from home to this far-off region of Lake Omega.
"He's coming this way!" called out Step-hen, excitedly.
"Yes, suh, and on the full gallop, too, believe me!" added Bob White,
actually taking a step forward, as if ready to meet the danger half way,
should there any peril develop.
Thad did not give the order to advance because he had 'ere now
discovered that there was no evidence of fright in the shouts of Bumpus.
Rather could he detect a note triumph, as though the fat boy believed he
had accomplished something worth while, and was deserving of
congratulation.
And now all of them could make out what he was calling as he came
stumbling along.
"Hey! fellers, what d'ye think, I've found--oh! that old vine nearly cut
my neck in two, plague take it--a boat! Yes, a regular boat, hid away in
the brush where I was looking for rabbits' tracks; meanin' to learn how
to follow the same. And better still, it's got a paddle in it, too. Now
we c'n go fishing, and have a bully old time exploring that island out
yonder. Don't you think I ought to get a merit badge, Thad, for being so
smart, hey?"