CHAPTER IV
SHOWING THE GREENHORNS
"WHOO! tak' him off, Lil Artha! It's a mad cat, it is, I'm thinkin'!"
The 'coon being presently dislodged, after having only given Alec a fewtrifling scratches, proceeded to retreat in hot haste. The angry Scotchlad, snatching up another billet of wood, was about to rush after thefrightened animal as though to vent his fury upon it, when Lil Arthabarred the way.
"Don't do it, Alec!" he called out, holding up a restraining hand; "letthe poor thing trot along. He's more scared than you were, take it fromme."
"But he _bit_ me, ye ken; and I don't let any fearsome wild beastie dothat with impunity, I tell ye!" snapped Alec.
"Well, who's really to blame, Alec?" said Lil Artha, promptly. "That'sonly a harmless raccoon. He must have his nest in a hollow limb of thistree we're under. Hearing all the talk going on below here, can youblame him for peeking, and trying to pick up a few points about eating,and the like? He was within his rights, and you had no business to knockhim down with that chunk of wood. He happened to fall on your shoulders,and commenced scratching and clawing when you jabbed at him so with yourhands. He only scratched you a little, and drew the blood. Elmer has thestuff to put on that, and prevent any chance of blood poisoning settingin. But surely you wouldn't kill that inoffensive little runt because heallowed you to knock him out of the tree."
Alec hung his head.
"Aweel, it may be you're right, Lil Artha," he muttered, being conqueredby the arguments advanced by the other. "Anyway, it's too late now tochase after him, for the beastie is lang out of sight. Perhaps I waso'er hasty to throw. Next time I'll try to hold my hand."
"It pays not to be too fast while in the woods," he was assured. "If nowthat had happened to be a bobcat, you'd have been in a nice pickle, letme tell you; and he might have scratched out both your eyes before therest of us could lift a hand to save you. Better go slow but sure, Alec.And try to look at things once in a while from the standpoint of thewoods animal. You'll find it mighty interesting to put yourself in theirplace, and figure just what you would do."
Again Alec scratched that tousled red head of his. Plainly he waspuzzled to exactly grasp what Lil Artha meant; but then, as time passedand he became more accustomed to this strange camp life, now so new tohim, the boy would doubtless understand many things that in thebeginning looked very mysterious.
When, a short time later, Lil Artha began to initiate him into themysteries of fire-making, Alec displayed more or less fresh interest. Heknew he was going to like that sort of thing first-rate, he told theother; which acknowledgment caused the tall scout to grin with pleasure,since it repaid him tenfold for all the trouble he had taken thus far.
The fire was soon burning cheerily. Somehow it seemed a great source ofjoy to everyone, especially Elmer, Lil Artha and George. As veteranscouts the crackle of a blaze instantly called up fond memories ofnumerous former occasions when in the woods, and camping amidst thesolitudes they had met with all sorts of interesting and even thrillingadventures, never to be utterly forgotten, even when they had grown tomanhood, and gone forth into the world upon their appointed lifemissions.
Next in order came the preparations for cooking the camp supper. HereLil Artha had fresh and glorious opportunities to show the tenderfootsquad all sorts of things that it was of prime importance they shouldearly manage to acquire, if they expected to make good scouts.
And when the ham had been nicely browned in the skillet; the potatoesand onions thoroughly cooked; the coffee allowed to settle, after beingbrought to a boil; and the rudely-built table set with all sorts of goodthings besides, from cookies, jam, home-made pies, pickles, and sucharticles as the crafty George had prevailed upon his dupe, Rufus, toinclude in the bulky stores, it seemed as though there was hardly roomto allow their plates a chance to find crevices for lodgment.
By this time the sun had set in a blaze of glory that called forth loudwords of sincere admiration from the entire party. Twilight was upon theland as they sat down to enjoy that glorious spread; and both Rufus andAlec vowed they had never in all their lives felt one-half so hungry asright then and there.
That supper would never be forgotten by those tenderfoot scouts. Everyfellow once new to the woods can look back to the first meal under suchconditions, and remember how wonderfully good everything did taste. Thefood at home never had such tempting qualities, and his one great fearwas that the supply would not be equal to the _enormous_ demand.
After supper came the dish washing. That was not quite so fine,especially since Rufus and Alec had fairly gorged themselves. But Elmerknew that it was good to start out right.
"Oh! what's the use bothering with the old dishes tonight?" complainedRufus, spoiled at home by a doting mother; "I'm feeling too fine to bedisturbed. Please don't spoil it all by doing anything disagreeable,Elmer."
His wheedling tone had no effect. The scout-master was determined thatthese two new recruits must learn that duty always precedes pleasurewith a scout. After all work has been finished is the proper time to"loaf," and take things easy.
"We have a rule in camp that is as unbending as that of the Medes andthe Persians, Rufus," Elmer went on to say, positively. "That is, thedishes must be cleaned up immediately after supper, by those who aredelegated with the task. I'll be only too glad to show you and Alec howto go about it, in case you haven't had any experience; but the pot ofhot water is waiting, and none of us can settle down to an evening'senjoyment until things are cleared away. All of us mean to take ourturns at the job, remember, but we thought the new beginners ought to bethe ones to start first."
Rufus looked as though inclined to rebel. Just then Alec jumped up,being more ready to give in than the boy who had always had his own way.
"Coom alang, Rufus, and we'll wrestle with the pots and pans!" he calledout. "Between the baith of us we should be able to manage, I ken. Andthen for a lang evenin' listenin' to the stories Lil Artha, here, haspromised to spin, that will, nae doot, mak' Robert Louie Stevenson'swildest tales tak' a back seat."
Well, after that Rufus could not hold out. He even grinned sheepishly abit as he got up from his comfortable position, and followed the Scotchlad and Elmer over to where the dishpan was hung on a convenient nail,together with a supply of towels, and several dish cloths, all seen toby Lil Artha, who knew by long experience how necessary such things arein a well conducted camp.
So by slow degrees Elmer and his mates might make progress in educatingthe tenderfoot squad along the lines that every well drilled scout hasto follow. Of course they would meet with many discouragements, andsometimes feel that the task was beyond their strength, especially inconnection with Rufus, who had allowed such a multitude of tares to growamidst the good seed that would have to be rooted out; but it isastonishing how much persistence and patience will accomplish, and inthe end surprising results might reward the laborers in the vineyard.
They sat up late that night and the fire continued to crackle merrily asfresh fuel was applied from time to time. How wonderful it all seemed toRufus and Alec, experiencing their very first night in camp. The moonhad already set, being young, and darkness hung over the scene. Strangesounds, too, welled up out of that gloom to thrill the greenhorns asthey listened. Again and again did one of them interrupt theconversation or the story-telling to demand that some fellow tell whatmanner of queer creature could be making such and such a noise.
Now it was some night bird giving a hoarse cry; again a distant loon,doubtless out upon some lake, the presence of which they had not evensuspected, sent forth a fiendish sound like the laugh of an evil spriteand which chilled the blood in the veins of the tenderfoot scouts; lateron they heard tree frogs commence their weird chorus, and were relievedto learn the nature of the noisy sounds, for they half suspected acircle of ravenous wolves might be closing in around the camp.
And so it went on, one thing after another. Perhaps the most singulareffect of all was produced by the hooting of a big owl, doubtlesssqua
tted in some dead treetop within a few hundred yards of the fire.The two greenhorns really believed some man was calling out and makingfun of them. Rufus, on his part, jumped to the conclusion that thepoacher, possibly under the influence of liquor, was daring them to comeout and have a fight with him, for that tantalizing "whoo! whoo!" seemedto breathe defiance and scorn. Alec, too, showed symptoms of "firingup," much to the secret amusement of Lil Artha and George.
They both quieted down after being told what sort of a big-eyed bird wasresponsible for the weird noise; though from time to time as the hootscontinued to be wafted to them on the night air, the tenderfoot scoutswould move uneasily, and exhibit fresh traces of interest bordering onrank incredulity, since it was difficult for them to really believe anyfeathered creature could indulge in such a mocking monologue.
And later still, after they had crept into their warm blankets, andsought to go to sleep, while the three veterans after a while managed tofind forgetfulness in honest slumber, the other pair tossed back andforth, changed their hemlock-filled pillows into new positions, sigheddismally, and put in one of the most trying nights they had ever known.
But then it would not be so bad on the next occasion; and before manynights passed they, too, would be "dead to the world a short time afterhitting the hay," as Lil Artha expressed it. Every fellow has to bebroken in before he can sleep, when camping out for the first time; thegreat wilderness around seems peopled with countless unseen, butnevertheless present, creatures, which his lively imagination picturesas seeking to steal a march upon the camp, and either to purloin alltheir possessions or else eat them alive.
Why, even experienced campers usually have a poor first night of it,until they can again grow accustomed to the difference between their ownsoft beds within the four walls of home, and this canvas covering, orperhaps only the starry heavens above for a canopy.
That long night seemed never to reach an end, to Rufus at least; foreven after the Scotch lad had passed into slumberland the other squirmedabout uneasily, sat up and looked around him many times; and even creptout twice to throw additional fuel on the fire, because he hated to seeit getting so dismally dark around, with all those queer sounds wellingup in chorus--the said chorus being produced in part, if Rufus only knewit, which he didn't, by katydids, crickets, tree-frogs, and suchharmless little creatures.
But even the longest night must come to an end at last. Rufus, havingfinally fallen into a doze, found himself aroused by some one talking,and opening his eyes discovered to his surprise that it was broaddaylight, with breakfast cooking near by.