CHAPTER XV
MOUNTAIN SCOUTING
Sunshine! glorious, golden sunshine! Was ever sunshine more bright? Wasever sky more blue? Was ever day more beautiful? So questioned ourcampers as, fresh and glowing from a cold plunge in the lake, a heartybreakfast despatched, bedding aired and cots freshly made up, campcleared up and morning duties all attended to in tip-top fashion, theymustered about Mr. Hollis to receive the day's commissions.
It mattered little what might be the commission allotted to each squad.Anything, everything that might come to them in the way of camp duty,could not but be a pleasure on such a glorious day as this. With youngbodies aglow with health, young minds, awake and alert for all newimpressions, young hearts filled with desire to live right, to do right,to be kind and helpful to all with whom they came in contact, how couldthey help being happy?
The camp was full of merriment, but perhaps the happiest squad of allwas the auto squad. In fact this was always the case, but today theautoists had a special expedition. They were to play the mountainscouting game, and as the nearest mountains were at a distance fromcamp the squad had been detailed for the automobile.
Gaily the fellows piled in and away they flew. As the roads which theymust travel today were rough, their progress was much less rapid thanusual; but, despite this they reached their destination in about half anhour.
"Hurrah for the 'Red Scout,'" cried Bob, as they tumbled out of the car."If she can travel like that over these roads, what'll she do on therace track? Oh, say, fellows, the 'Gray Ghost' won't be in it. She'llfade away like a real ghost."
"Don't I wish the day of the race was here," said Tom. "Seems as if itwould never come, doesn't it, fellows?" and "It sure does," they allchorused.
The "mountains" were really very high, rocky hills, but, as they wereknown to embrace many very steep and dangerous ravines, some of themnearly as perilous as mountain precipices, many and earnest had beenthe warnings given by Mr. Hollis as the boys had started on theirexpedition, and each boy carried in the pockets of his jacket some partof the equipment for first aid to the injured that was a part of thecamp outfit. Thus safe-guarded, they felt no fear.
As soon as they had arrived the three "hares," who had been coached inthe game, went to hide themselves in the mountain, and, after sufficienttime had been given them for this purpose, the "hounds" followed them;while Bert and Dave Ferris remained in the auto to watch for any signalthat might be given them from the mountain.
The game of mountain-scouting consists in the "hounds," who must staywithin certain limits of ground, finding or "spotting" the "hares"within a given time. If they find or spot them even with field glasses,it counts, provided that the finder can tell who it is he has spotted.The hounds write down the names of any of the hares that they may see.If at the end of the allotted time no hare has been spotted, the hareswin.
To-day two hours had been the given time and the boys in the mountainswere to signal to Bert the news as each hare was found.
Time was nearly up. Three hares had been found. The chase had been amerry one and now hares and hounds together, no longer pursuers andpursued, but just happy-hearted campers were hiking down to the two inthe automobile.
The return signal had been given, and Bert and Dave, relieved of theslight anxiety they had felt while the game was going on, expected eachmoment to see the boys come into view.
Suddenly Dave sprang to his feet. "Look, Bert," said he, "anothersignal."
Breathlessly the boys read the signal wig-wagged to them from a pointhigh up on the side of the hill. "Come quick! Fred hurt. Bring splintsand kit and ropes."
It took only a very short time for the boys to reach the scene of theaccident, and one glance took in the situation. Turning a corner theboys had come, all unknowing, upon a spot where the rocks shelvedsuddenly down into a deep ravine. The edge of the descent was hidden bya fringe of breast-high bushes, and Fred Morse, all unconscious of hisdanger, had stepped upon a piece of rock which gave under his foot, and,before the boys could even put out a hand to save him, had slippedthrough the bushes, and the horrified boys had heard their comrade gocrashing through the bushes on the side of the ravine. His frightenedcry, "Help, fellows, I'm falling!" still echoed in their ears. While twoof the boys were signalling, the others had called to Fred but no replyhad come back to them. When Bert reached them, Bob was running along theedge of the cliff, in great danger of going over himself, in a vaineffort to find a place to climb down.
Now, not waiting for the call for volunteers, he ran to Bert and begginghim to hurry and help him, began fastening the ropes about himself. In atwinkling, the rope was adjusted, the knots securely tied, and the ropefirmly held by four boys, Bob was lowered slowly and carefully over theside of the cliff.
Down, down he went till, just as the boys began to fear that the ropewould not be long enough, it lay slack in their hands, and they knewthat Fred was found. Presently came the signal, three distinct pulls onthe rope, and soon poor Fred was lifted tenderly over the edge and laidgently down. A few minutes more and good old Bob was back with them.
Now, all attention was turned to Fred. After a careful examination fromhead to toe, Bert relieved the anxious fears of his comrades by theannouncement that he was sure that Fred's life was not in danger. Afaint cheer went up, which faded when Bert said Fred's leg was broken.
Consternation filled their hearts, for the nearest doctor was milesaway, and though Bert felt sure there was no more serious injury thanthe broken limb, it was hard to tell what internal injury might havebeen sustained, and a long ride in the motor with the leg in the presentcondition might prove a serious matter. There was no doubt about it,the leg must be set at once.
Not one of the boys had anything but the simplest knowledge offirst-aid-to-the-injured, but, though at first hearts feared and handstrembled, they conquered fear and each boy went steadily to work to dohis part. Whether it was to hand the cotton batting or to pull with fullstrength upon the poor broken limb, or hold the splints while Bert woundyards of bandage around them, not a boy flinched, and at last the workwas done, and well done.
Then with faces scarcely less white than Fred's own, they turned to thetask of making a litter on which to carry him down to the motor.
After a long search, for the hill was almost barren of trees, beingcovered mostly with scrubby bushes, two short and two long saplings werefound and, laying two of the boys' jackets on the ground and runningeach of the long poles through the sleeves of a jacket, the two jacketswere buttoned together with buttons down. Then the short poles werelashed on and a comfortable stretcher was ready to their hand.
In the auto on smooth roads, carried tenderly by his fellows over therougher places, they at last reached the office of the crusty oldvillage doctor and laid Fred on the couch for the doctor's examination.But though the doctor was crabbed, he was skilful, and in a very shorttime the temporary splints were replaced by permanent ones and the partyturned toward camp.
Homeward-bound in the auto at last, the boys drew a great sigh of reliefand weariness. What an eventful day it had been! Begun so brightly, ithad nearly ended in a tragedy, and at the thought their hearts swelledwith gratitude that they were taking dear old Fred home with them alive,and, if not well, at least only the worse for a broken leg and somesevere bruises. They could not be thankful enough.
"Who's that going along the road ahead?" asked one of the boys, and allsaw, walking in the middle of the road and directly in the path of themotor, a little bent old woman's figure, the most conspicuous article ofwhose dress was a bright red, very draggled looking feather whichdrooped from the brim of a very ancient hat.
Very tired and pathetic, the old figure looked to the boys as theybrought the machine to a stop beside her, and the old wrinkled face, wetwith tears that was turned to them when they spoke to her, made everywarm boy's heart ache with pity.
"Why it's Kitty Harrigan's old mother, who has just come over fromIreland," said Dick, in a low voice. "Don't you remember, f
ellows, howwe laughed when Mr. Hollis told us about her the other night? He said,you know, that the poor old lady had been quite a village belle in heryoung days, and now, in her age, she imagines herself back in hergirlhood. Look at her now."
Indeed, the old lady was a study, for no sooner did her old eyes fall onBert's handsome face as he spoke to her, than tears were brushed hastilyaside, and with a coquettish glance from her brown eyes that, despitethe years, were still bright, she made him so deep a curtsey that herlong black coat swept the ground.
She had eluded all watchful eyes, and slipped off by herself for a walk,and when she wished to return, had taken the wrong direction, and waswalking away from home instead of toward it. She had enjoyed herselfimmensely at first, making the most of her seldom-obtained freedom, butnow her old feet were very tired and the old limbs that had carried hersturdily for nearly ninety years were growing weak at last, and, aftersuch unusual exertion, were trembling beneath her.
At the boys' proposal to take her into the car and give her an automobileride, the tired old face broke into a smile, and, as the boys settled herin the most comfortable seat in the tonneau, she leaned back luxuriously,and, clasping her old hands, said in ecstasy, "Did annybody iver see theloike of Biddy Harrigan ridin' in an artymobile, no less." She beamedupon the boys, she patted the hands and shoulders of all of them withinher reach, and in her rich Irish brogue showered compliments upon them;for a very demonstrative creature was old Biddy Harrigan. She didnot notice that mischievous Bert, whom she had called a "rale foinegintleman," took advantage of her flow of talk to sing in a very lowtone, "'H-a-double r-i-g-a-n spells Harrigan'," but the boys found itvery hard to keep their faces straight.
On Fred's account, poor Fred, who had, perhaps, shown more courage thananyone else in that day's ordeal, for not one word of complaint had heuttered through all his pain, the boys felt that they must go on to thecamp where he could get the rest and attention he so sadly needed. Theydid not know that what was causing him keener anguish than the physicalpain was the fear that he would be unable to be on hand on that day ofdays which he, like every other fellow in camp, had thought of everywaking moment, dreamed of every night and looked forward to withdaily-increasing impatience--the day of the race between their adored"Red Scout" and the challenged "Gray Ghost." To miss seeing the "RedScout" come in gloriously victorious (not a single doubt of her victoryentered any boy's mind), what was the pain of a broken leg to themisery of that possibility! But they did know that he needed care, sothey carried Biddy Harrigan with them. As supper was ready when theyreached camp, they placed Biddy in the seat of honor and regaled herwith the best of the camp fare.
Never had an old women enjoyed herself so much. She could not get overthe fact that the delicious supper had been cooked by boys. "If Oi hadntof seen it and tashted it, Oi niver, niver would have belaved," she saidover and over again.
After supper they hurried the old woman, gesturing and exclaiming at thedelight of another "artymobile" ride, into the auto and soon had herhome.
Irish Kitty, who washed for the camp, was overjoyed at her old mother'ssafe return and overwhelmed them with gratitude.
The boys last view of Biddy was a grateful, curtseying, waving, delightedold woman who repeated over and over again, "O'll not forgit yez, B'ys,O'll not forgit yez. Yez'll hear from old Biddy agin," and they did.