CHAPTER XXV. "CATCHING A TARTAR;" AND A FAT ONE AT THAT.
They had little trouble moving along now.
Somehow, it seemed as though the eyes of Step Hen and Giraffe must begetting more accustomed to the way obstacles could be avoided; or elsethe woods had become a little more open. At any rate they stumbled not atall now, which would seem to be a lucky thing, because all the while theywere constantly drawing closer to the fire.
Thad and Allan knew they had need of caution. Those two precious roguesof timber spies were roaming this region with the intention of locatingpatches of valuable trees near enough to a stream to be felled, andfloated down by the next Spring freshet. They were on Government land,and their rich but unscrupulous employers had been long engaged in thisform of robbery, by which the reservations lose many millions of feet offine lumber every year.
And such men, knowing that their work is evil, and that they areconstantly breaking the law, suspect every stranger of being a Governmentspy. No wonder then they showed dislike at the mere mention of the nameof Toby Smathers, who was a forest ranger, at times in the employ of theWashington authorities, and always on the lookout for the operations oftimber thieves.
Thad could see some one moving about. This happened when the otherchanced to come between himself and the fire.
"I do believe that's our chum, Bumpus;" whispered Giraffe, eagerly,showing that he too had been watching the figure.
They all used their eyes to advantage, as they cautiously crept along.Presently they would have gained a point so near the fire that it wouldbe necessary for them to change their mode of locomotion. Instead ofwalking, even as they were doing now, in a bent-over attitude, they mustget down on all fours, and creep, just as a panther would do whenapproaching a feeding deer which he hoped to pounce upon unawares.
It was one of the most exciting and thrilling moments in the lives ofStep Hen and Giraffe. Possibly they could not conceive of anything moretypical of what must go hand in hand with scouting business, than thiscreeping through the woods, and constantly drawing closer and closer to afire, about which enemies would most likely be seated, all unaware oftheir presence.
They felt proud of the manner in which they were accomplishing thesethings. It reflected great credit upon their ability as scouts.
Nearer they crawled.
Why, Allan was actually down on his stomach now, and he seemed to"wiggle" along just as they had seen an angle worm do, or a snake. Yes,and there was Thad copying the example of the expert Maine boy.
It would seem to be up to Giraffe and Step Hen to do likewise. They werequick to learn, once they had a pattern to go by. And in another minutethe whole four of the scouts lay fully extended on the ground, clawingtheir way along as best they might; satisfied to advance, even though itbe inches at a time.
There was no longer any doubt in connection with what might be going onjust beyond. Even Giraffe and Step Hen understood it now.
First of all they saw the lost tenderfoot; and it did them great goodjust to feast their eyes upon the portly figure of Bumpus, after all thissearching for him, day after day.
Then there were Hank and Pierre, too, just as hulking, and ugly as ever,or even more so.
The two timber cruisers were evidently taking their ease, stretched outat full length, smoking their pipes. Something about the very air of themen would have told an observer that they were enjoying the novelty ofbeing waited on. It was not often that Hank and Pierre knew the luxury ofhaving a "slave" along, to humor their every little whim; and they wereapparently bent on making the most out of the opportunity.
Evidently Bumpus was aware of the fact that he might look upon himself asa servant, for the time being. His dejected manner, as he sat there,gnawing at some bones they had evidently allowed him to have, after hehad cooked supper, and waited on his captors, seemed to tell this onlytoo plainly.
Even as the four scouts lay there and looked, they heard Hank call outgruffly:
"Come here, younker!"
Bumpus pretended not to hear at first. Evidently he dreaded to get tooclose to the men, for some reason or other.
At that Hank burst out into a string of profanity that was enough to makeany respectable scout shudder. And when he ordered Bumpus again to comeover to him, the fat boy evidently dared no longer pretend deafness.
He approached the spot where the two men half sat; and Thad could seefrom the wary manner in which Bumpus did this that he expected roughtreatment.
"Git me a coal outen the fire, you fat fool; my pipe's gone out again!"
Hank said this in the ugliest way possible. Indeed, to judge from hismanner, one might even imagine it was the fault of poor Bumpus that hispipe had ceased to burn, instead of his own laziness.
Bumpus forthwith stepped over to the near-by fire. As he bent over, helooked cautiously behind him once or twice, just as though the poorfellow half expected to have one of his tormentors kick him, and he didnot want to have such a thing happen so that he would plunge in among theburning wood.
Securing a brand that was suitable for the purpose, Bumpus advancedtoward the two men. He handed this to Hank.
"Stand thar!" ordered the bully, as Bumpus was edging away.
Applying the light to his pipe, Hank sent out several puffs of smoke.Then, just as a smoker might wish to extinguish his match before throwingit away, he suddenly hurled the blazing torch after the now retreatingBumpus. That worthy tried to dodge, but was either too clumsy, or elseHank had made allowances for this. At any rate, the brand struck Bumpussquarely in the middle of his fat back; and while it did not set hisclothes on fire, at least it forced a grunt from the scout.
Hank burst out into a harsh laugh, while Pierre grinned. Then they wenton talking as though regardless of the presence of the boy.
Thad had felt Giraffe quiver beside him when he saw Bumpus abused andinsulted in this fashion.
And only for Hank giving that laugh, one of the men might have heard thegritting of Giraffe's strong teeth, he was that worked up.
"Sh!" hissed the scoutmaster, close to the other's ear; and Giraffesubsided, though he was still quivering all over from excitement andeagerness,--yes and anger too. If he could only have had his way rightthen and there, Giraffe undoubtedly would have stepped out, and coveringthe two rascals with his gun, threatened to shoot unless they abjectlysurrendered. And this time they would not get off as easily as before.After the way they had treated Bumpus, they deserved something moresevere.
But then Thad evidently was not quite ready to act. Perhaps he wanted tosee what else Hank and his timber mate might do. Perhaps--but Giraffeconcluded that it was foolish trying to figure these things out, when allhe had to do in order to learn the truth, was to possess his soul inpatience and wait.
Bumpus, true to his new scout training, even while he was listening tothe laughter of his tormentor, and rubbing his back where the fire-brandhad struck him with such a thump; turned, and deliberately put his footupon the blaze, grinding it into the earth until it was utterlyextinguished.
It was really one of the most surprising examples of newly-acquireddiscipline that Thad had even seen. Nor would he soon forget it.
Bumpus was apparently watching the two men on the sly. When he thoughtthey were not looking, the fat scout quickly bent over near a tree.
Thad had quite a thrill, for he saw that the two guns owned by the menstood against this same tree. Whatever could Bumpus be doing there? Againand again did he turn his head to glance toward Hank and Pierre, just asthough he might be afraid that one of them could see him. But Hank wastelling a story of some kind, evidently, for the rumble of his heavyvoice seemed continuous; while Pierre lay on his back, both hands underhis head, listening, and smoking in a lazy fashion.
Now Bumpus had quitted the vicinity of the tree, and hovered on the otherside of the fire. He craned his neck several times, just as though hewanted to make sure of something.
Thad believed he knew what that
_something_ was. He had discovered, closealongside the burly figure of Hank, the ten-guaged, Marlin,double-barreled gun belonging to Bumpus. Evidently the bully hadconfiscated the weapon, and meant to keep it, as something that mightcome in handy.
Now, Bumpus was a poor loser. He had grown to feel quite attached to thatremarkable gun, during the short period of his ownership. And doubtlessit had become more precious in his sight, after the clever way in whichit had worked of late, with regard to that wildcat; and later on the lamegrizzly that had treed Bumpus.
Thad believed he had designs on that gun.
Just then Hank called out again.
"Git a kettle o' water at the spring, younker, an' bring me a drink! Bequick, now, er I'll skin ye alive!"
Bumpus picked up a kettle or saucepan, the only one in sight, and ofgenerous proportions. As Hank roared at him to "dip deep, and bring herfull, enough for a grown man," the fat scout hastened to do so.
He approached, holding the kettle with both hands. Hank half sat up, toreceive it; which he certainly did, full in the face. As spluttering hestarted to get, first to his knees and then on his feet, Bumpus, with anagility that was remarkable in one of his stout build, snatched up histrusty Marlin from the ground, and hastened to put some little spacebetween himself and the astonished timber cruisers, already jumpingtoward the tree where their guns stood.
"'Tain't no use!" shouted Bumpus, gleefully. "I took every cartridge out,and you bet I ain't agoin' to let you shove any more in. Sit down now, orI'll open fire on you!"