CHAPTER IV
NATURE BLOWS OUT A FUSE
"We've blown out a fuse!" yelled Tad.
"Shut off the current!" cried Ned Rector.
"I'm shot, I'm shot!" howled the fat boy, leaping out into the open,as had Rector and Walter. "Help! Help!"
"Get back!" shouted Tad. "Don't go out there barefooted. Don't--"
_Bang! Bang! Bang!_ The explosions became so rapid that the boyscould not have counted them had they desired to do so.
A dull red glow showed in two of the tents.
"We are on fire!" yelled Butler. "Use your blankets. Stamp it out!"
Tad did not take his own advice not to step out in bare feet. Hesped swiftly to his pony, and, grabbing a heavy blanket, raced backand into his own tent where, by this time, the flames had started upbriskly. Throwing the blanket on the flames, Tad trod up and down,dancing a jig as he sought to beat out the flames. His quick worksmothered them in short order, but at the end the boy's feet wereswollen and blistered.
The guide had not been idle all this time; he had used the sametactics as had Tad, assisted by Rector, while Stacy Brown was dancingup and down yelling "Fire!" at the top of his voice.
"Stop calling for the firemen and go to work," ordered Tad. "Thefiremen can't hear you."
"They would be deaf if they couldn't," answered Ned from theadjoining tent. "What do you think you are yelling about, anyway?"
"Fire, fire!"
"You are slower than cream on a cold day," laughed Tad. "The fire isout."
"Then if there's nothing else to do will someone please tell me whatblew up?" asked Ned.
"That is what I should like to know," nodded Tad.
"Why, the campfire blew up," Stacy informed them.
"We know that, but what caused it?"
"I--I don't know unless you fellows threw in some cartridges,"replied Chunky.
"Cartridges!" exploded Ned. "Don't you think we have better use forour ammunition?"
"Guide, what is the meaning of this?" questioned the Professor.
"We will find out. I am somewhat curious myself. Ah!"
"What have you found?" asked Tad, springing into the tent where Lillywas pawing over some sticks that had fallen inside.
Lilly handed a stick of cane to Tad, who observed that the stalk hadbeen blown out as if from an interior explosion.
"I don't understand, Mr. Lilly."
"Some of that cane got in the fire and blew up."
"Why, I never heard of such a thing," wondered Tad.
"Yes, it is quite common. This stuff is very combustible when dry.When in that condition, and the hot air is confined in the hollowsections, there is sure to be an explosion and loud one, too. Thatis what happened here tonight."
"Did you put cane on the fire, Mr. Lilly?"
"No, I didn't. Ichabod, did you?"
"No, sah, Ah doan' put no cane on dat fiah, sah. Ah reckons Ahknow'd bettah dan to do a thing like dat, sah. Ah suah does."
"Hm-m-m!" mused the guide reflectively. "Any of you boys put cane onthe fire?"
No one answered. Tad shot a keen glance at Stacy who was standing atthe opening of his tent.
"Well, what have you to say for yourself, young man?" demanded Tad.
"I? Nothing," answered the fat boy.
"That was a nice trick to play on us when we were sleeping so soundly,now wasn't it?" demanded Tad.
"I--I didn't know the stuff would go off like a gun. I--I--"
"We might have known who did it," chuckled Rector.
"I am glad you admit it, Stacy," said Tad with a grin. "Better tomake a clean breast right at the beginning. You know we are sure tofind you out, no matter how cute you may think you are."
"I--I didn't do anything."
"No, you didn't do anything. You merely put some cane on the fire soit would explode and give us a scare. You nearly burned up theoutfit."
"Stacy, did you do this?" demanded the Professor sternly.
"I--I guess I did."
"Why?"
"Well, you see, I was awakened by those villainous mosquitoes, so Igot up, went outside, and put some wood on the fire--that's all Idid."
"Well, what then?" urged the Professor.
"Then the whole business went off."
"He did not know the cane would explode," spoke up the guide, who hadbeen tugging at his moustache while listening and regarding Stacynarrowly.
"No, no, that's right; I didn't know. How should I know that thestuff was loaded? Is this country full of stuff like that that willblow up if you look crosswise at it?"
"The cane always will explode when subjected to sufficient heat,"replied the guide.
"First time I ever knew that trees would blow up. I--I guess thisisn't much of a place to go around with matches in your pocket.Wha--what's that?" stammered the fat boy in a scared tone.
"Waugh, waugh, waugh."
The other boys now took heed. They too were wondering what thestrange new sound might mean, and glanced apprehensively at BillyLilly for the answer. The guide was still tugging at his moustache,grinning behind his hand.
"Waugh, waugh, waugh, waugh!"
This time the sound seemed nearer. The dogs were growling, somestraining at their leashes, a dark ridge showing along the back ofeach.
"The dogs have their rough up. Something is around here. I am goingto find out what it is for myself," declared Tad Butler, slipping onhis boots and snatching up a rifle.
"Where are you going?" asked the guide.
"I am going to investigate, that's all. You may know what that noiseis, but I don't. It may be a bear for all we know."
Tad slipped out back of the tent. There followed a sharp flash, anda crash, then a series of wild "waugh, waugh, waugh, waughs," a greatscurrying and floundering in the bushes.
"Ha, ha! Missed him, didn't you?" shouted the guide.
"I did not," answered the Pony Rider Boy calmly. Then the listenersheard Tad utter a groan of disgust. Billy Lilly slapped his thighsand laughed loudly.
"That's a good joke on the old scout, eh? That's certainly a goodone. Well, what did you get?"
Tad walked in and shoved his gun into his tent.
"You knew what it was all the time, didn't you, Mr. Lilly?"
"Surely I knew. You didn't think I had been in these brakes allthese years without knowing all about them, did you?"
"Wha--what did you shoot, Tad?" stammered Stacy.
"What did I shoot? Gentlemen, I shot a pig," answered Butler in atone of disgust. "Pork! I am a rank tenderfoot. Stacy, please kickme."
"I--I can't. I'm in my stocking feet. Oh, I wish I had my boots on.I'll never get another opportunity like this," wailed the fat boy inmock sorrow.
This raised another laugh. Lilly forgot to tug at his tawnymoustache and straightening back against a tree opened his mouth anduttered a loud "Haw, haw, haw."
"You laugh like a burro I knew down in New Mexico," observed Stacy,eyeing the guide narrowly, ready to run in case Lilly should takeexception to his remark.
"Now, if you boys want any sleep, suppose we turn in again,"suggested Lilly.
"I am going to feed the campfire first," answered Tad. "I don'tpropose to leave that to Master Stacy. Next time he will blow up theoutfit."
"No, I reckon we had better set a watch over him. He's worse'n themosquitoes," declared Billy.