CHAPTER II
A STRANGE PLACE TO CAMP
"I'M surprised at you saying it's going to snow, George," Lil Artharemarked, as he turned on the doubting scout; "because it'd be more likeyou to tell us ten flakes didn't make a storm, and that anyway there wasalways a chance of it giving us the go-by. Guess you're tired, and wantto snuggle down close to a warm fire, which would explain why you givein so easy-like."
"Just as you please, so long as we do camp," replied the other, as hebegan to undo the straps that secured his hamper to his back.
"Keep still, fellows!" said Elmer, in a husky whisper; "I honestlybelieve I saw a bevy of partridges fly up in a tree over yonder," and ashe dropped his pack lightly to the ground, he gripped the trusty littletwelve-bore Marlin double-barreled shot-gun which he had owned for anumber of years, and occasionally found a use for.
"Oh! partridges, fat partridges, and me as hungry as a bear!" gaspedToby; but Elmer had already quitted his chums, and was making his waytoward the point he had indicated with his hand.
They watched him with considerable eagerness, and waited to see whatluck attended his stalking action.
"Since it looks like we'd have to spend a night here, like the Babes inthe Wood," Lil Artha was saying in a whisper, "it'd be real nice ifElmer could only bag four plump birds for our supper! Let's hope he getsa string of the same in range, and makes a double with each shot."
"Honest Injun! I think I could devour four myself, without half trying,"Toby assured them, rubbing the pit of his stomach as though to calltheir attention to the fact that it was an aching void.
"Huh! you mightn't even get the smell of a single one cooking," Georgewarned him; "because I've been told partridges are wary old birds, evenup here, where they light in the trees after being flushed, instead ofgoing off with a whirr of their wings, like they do down our way."
"There, he's going to let drive!" said Lil Artha, who, being somethingof a hunter himself, had been closely observing the progress of Elmerall this time.
"Good luck to his pot-shot!" muttered Toby.
Two reports were heard in quick succession. Then Elmer was seen tohastily run forward, at the same time managing to reload his gun.
"He got one, anyhow!" cried Toby, exultantly; "that fixes _me_ allright. There, he has grabbed another up off the ground. Bully for Elmer!He knows how to work the game, all right. What! another bird? Oh!George, if only he had killed four you might have had one, the same asthe rest of us!"
"Well, I like your nerve," said George, indignantly; "why should I besingled out to get left, tell me that, Toby?"
"Keep quiet, George, and don't get riled so easy," Lil Artha told him,"because, as sure as you live he's hurrying over to pick a fourth birdup. What d'ye think of that for great luck, now? Four hungry scouts, anda fat partridge for each. I think it's a splendid introduction to UncleCaleb's pet game preserve, don't you all?"
"He must have knocked over three with that right barrel," ventured Toby;"like as not they were all sitting along a limb when he fired, and thenhe picked that last one when they were on the wing, remembering thatGeorge would have to go hungry, or only suck the racks, if he didn't getanother."
When Elmer rejoined them he was wearing a smile of contentment such asusually adorns the face of a successful sportsman.
"Couldn't have been better any way you fixed it, fellows," he told them."There they sat, in a row, and you never saw a prettier sight. I justhated to do such a thing, but even scouts can be forgiven for shootinggame when they're adrift in an unknown snow forest, and hungry in thebargain."
"I should say they could," Lil Artha added, forcibly, "and lots of othertimes in the bargain. But these birds are as plump as any I've everseen. Just feel of the fat breasts, will you? Makes my mouth water,thinking how fine they'll go with our coffee and crackers. How fortunatewe thought to bring a few things along in case Uncle Caleb might runshort on rations. Plenty of coffee, a little tea, some sugar, a can ofcondensed milk, crackers, cheese, a pound of bacon, and a package ofself-raising flour for flapjacks. We ought to subsist for a whole day onthat bill of fare, don't you think?"
"And as we've got our guns along," interposed Lil Artha, "with more orless of game around us, what's the use of worrying? For one I'm meaningto take things as they come, and squeeze what fun I can out of thesame."
"That's the stuff!" said Toby, and Elmer nodded his approval; onlyskeptical George remained silent, for he was feeling of his partridgeand with a frown on his brow that made Toby hasten to assure him thebird was a real one, and not such as he may have seen in his dreams.
Already Elmer was casting about to see where they had better locatetheir camp. It was easy to say this would be for only one night, but howdid they know? The threatening storm might swoop down with such forcethat it would virtually imprison them for a much longer stay. And so heconsidered it worth while to do the best possible while they had anychoice of situation.
Elmer had had considerable experience, having spent a year up on aCanadian cattle ranch and wheat farm owned by an uncle, Elmer's fatherhaving been given charge of the property. There the boy had learneddozens of things that were apt to prove valuable to any one in thewoods. Besides, he had made it a practice to pick up informationwherever he went by asking questions, investigating for himself, andconstantly increasing his stock of knowledge.
Looking in every quarter he presently decided that since they carried notent, and it would be no easy task to make a brush shelter, their bestmove was to settle down in the lee of one of those cavities formed whena hurricane had toppled a number of giant trees over, with their roots,and the earth attached to the same, standing fully eight feet in theair.
There was a little choice about the matter, and Elmer picked out the onebest suited to screen them from the northwest wind. The snow wouldsurely come from that direction, and having a windbreak might meanconsiderable.
"Drop everything here, boys, and let's hustle to collect all the wood wecan find. Don't stop short of darkness, because maybe we'll have to keepa fire going for several days. Just drag it handy, so we'll know whereto find it, even if the snow comes two feet deep!"
"Whew! I sure hope it don't get us that way to start with," said Toby;"and us not knowing whether Uncle Caleb's shack is to the north, east orwest. Don't I wish we'd run across him in the woods, and were toastingour shins alongside a fire in his comfy little place right now! Um! Butthe snow's coming faster than she was, fellows!"
"The more reason we should get busy," Elmer told him.
At that they started energetically to "make hay while the sun shone," asLil Artha said, though he must himself have been convinced that thecomparison was hardly a good one, judging from the grimace he gave whencasting his eyes upward toward the leaden sky that frowned down uponthem like a dome.
Fortunately there was no lack of wood handy. This had doubtless been onereason why Elmer had decided on pitching the camp where he did. Thosefallen trees had in crashing to the ground broken many large limbs off,and all that was necessary for the campers to do was to drag these, oneafter another, to a convenient striking distance from the hole in whichthey intended spending the night.
All around it they banked up the loose wood, until Toby declared theyhad fully enough to do an army.
"Don't you believe it," said Lil Artha, an authority on fires among hisfellow scouts; "you'd be s'prised to see what an enormous amount of wooda fire eats up in a single night; and like as not we may have to holdthe fort a week, just as Elmer said. Keep on fetching it a little whilelonger, boys."
"You're on the safe side there, Lil Artha," the cautious scout masterdecided; "we can't have too much burning wood, with that sky threateningus. And to run out, with the snow piled up hip-high over everythingwouldn't be the nicest job in the world. Let's work at it for anotherten minutes. By then it will be so near dark that we can lay off, andget our camp fixed."
So they labored on industriously until Elmer called a halt. George was agood enough worker, and
usually did his share when the necessity arose.His grumbling really sprang more from force of habit than a desire tomake himself disagreeable. Sometimes Elmer seriously considered whetherit would pay them to try and cure George of his fault-finding, and thenas often decided that, given time, it must surely die out. Things ofthat sort generally thrive on opposition.
To Lil Artha was given over the task of making the fire. It was luckyindeed in this pinch that Elmer had thought to bring his pet camphatchet along. Though its weight had added to his weariness on themarch, he had had what he called a "hunch" that it might come in handy,though hardly expecting to be compelled to fall back on the little toolthe first thing in order to supply fuel for a camp.
So the tall scout began to hack at a couple of promising fragments ofthick limbs which would make good sides for the cooking fire, and uponwhich their coffeepot could rest; for they had such a thing along, aswell as a skillet, both made of aluminum, and weighing next to nothing.
Elmer, assisted by George and Toby, meanwhile started to see how somesort of shelter could be arranged with the four rubber ponchos whichthey carried. He knew how soldiers on the march are in the habit offastening two of these together by means of the grummet holes along theedges, forming a little shelter called a "dog-tent," under which thepair can at least keep the upper halves of their bodies from the rain.
By skillful work they managed to cover the cavity behind the upturnedroots of the fallen forest monarch in such a fashion that it would shedmost of the snow, even though some might drift through the cracks.
"A pretty good job!" Lil Artha told them, as he suspended operations inconnection with his fire, which was by now sending out a gratefulwarmth, and much good cheer in addition.
"Next thing is to get the birds plucked, and ready for the spit,"announced Toby, as he took up the one that had been apportioned to him.
George followed suit, but was evidently a poor hand at stripping thefeathers off, to judge by the gingerly way he went at it. Lil Artha hadto show him just how to grip hold, and make things fly; but even thenGeorge looked anything but happy.
"And I'd feel safe in wagering," said Toby, with a laugh, as he held uphis partridge, beautifully cleaned, and ready to be broiled before thefire, after he had split it down the back, "that if we were anywherenear home George would be willing to spend his last dime in bribingsome boy to finish his job; but that don't go here; no work no pay.Those who expect to dine on partridge must prepare the same. You hear mespeaking, George. But I don't mind showing you again how I do it, whichaccording to my notion is a better way than Lil Artha has."
And as George, seeing his opportunity, commenced to compliment Toby, andengage his attention, the result was that he got his partridge not onlycompletely denuded down to the last pinfeather, but split along the backin the bargain.
After that a busy scene that glowing, snapping fire saw, with thecoffeepot sending out a delightful aroma, and the four hungry boys eachholding out his game near the flames, turning it often in order to allowevery part to receive an equal share of the intense heat that wasbrowning the outside so beautifully.
Finally Toby gave a groan.
"Can't stand for it any longer, and that's a fact, fellows!" heannounced; "please fill my cup with coffee, Elmer, and let me getstarted or I'll cave in. George, pass that package of crackers, willyou; and, Lil Artha, I'd like to sample that cheese if you don't mind!"
"For goodness' sake everybody wait on Toby, and get him shut off, orhe'll give us no peace!" exclaimed Lil Artha, though he had already puthis own teeth into one half of his sizzling partridge, to find that itwas as tender as could be, and perfectly delicious.
In another minute or two all of them were busily engaged. It was such apleasant duty, partaking of this forest meal, and amidst such romanticsurroundings, that for the time being they forgot all the dismalprospects ahead of them, and were quite merry. Toby joked, and Lil Arthalaughed aloud, while Elmer joined them, and even George, placated byhaving his gnawing pains satisfied, for the time being looked contentedwith the world. He would not have made any objection had he been offereda second edition of that game supper; for when his bird had been reducedto a mere lot of well-picked bones his taste for broiled partridgeseemed as keen as ever.
Possessed of hearty boyish appetites it can readily be understood thatthey had made a pretty good hole in their limited supplies by the timeall of them admitted that they were satisfied. Toby professed to begreatly concerned because of this growing scarcity of rations, and asfor George, his gloom had returned, since he was already talking of thetime, near at hand most likely, when the cupboard would be as bare as itwas when Old Mother Hubbard went to get her dog a bone.
"Gee! whiz! look at it coming down, would you!" burst out Lil Artha, ashaving finished attending to that clamorous appetite, he thought itworth while to take an observation, in order to learn what the weathermight be.
"Never saw it snow harder," admitted Toby.
"Be over our heads by morning, see if 'tain't," George prophesied.
"Well, p'raps you may have a chance to use those snow-shoes sooner'n youthought you would, Toby," ventured Lil Artha, as they all crouchedthere, staring out at the dark forest, and watching the myriads of bigflakes steadily falling, as though a storm of the greatest magnitude hadcome down from the far northwest, where the weather man keeps this brandof thing in tap for scouts who are incautious enough to be caughtnapping, away off in a strange woods, and with only rations for one dayin their haversacks.