CHAPTER X.
FOUND AT LAST.
ELMER was thinking about the car that had started from Fairfield an hourbefore Toby and Nat learned about the scheme to waylay the leader in thegreat hike, in case he proved to be a representative of Hickory Ridge,and prevent him from carrying out his intentions not to ride a foot ofthe way to Little Falls.
It could have easily overtaken Lil Artha long before this. Possibly thefour reckless young fellows in the car may have gone on ahead, to pickout a favorable place for the ambush, from which they meant to pounce onthe walking Lil Artha and play their mean game.
He was looking on either side of the road as he went, as though thethought had come to him that perhaps he might discover the car inhiding; the plotters having decided to wait until dark before overtakingthe leader.
Then another idea flashed across Elmer's mind, and he no longer botheredlooking either to the right or the left. Instead his eyes sought theroad in front of his motorcycle.
It was now beginning to grow a trifle like twilight. The glowing sun hadsunk in the west, and left a legacy of red and gold to paint a fewfleecy clouds that hovered there in the heavens.
So it was not as easy as one might wish, to discover signs on the road,especially when going at the pace they held. But here and there theconditions became a little more favorable. Perhaps it was because thetrees were farther back, allowing more of that glow from the west toreach them; or else the shading branches had prevented the sun fromdrying the mud entirely, so that such a broad mark as that made by apoorly inflated automobile tire might be detected.
And this was just what Elmer was looking for. He found it presently,too; and was even able to tell that the car had been going at a prettygood clip in the same direction in which they were even then headed.This he did by noting that the mud had been splashed _forward_, so thatit struck trees ahead of where it had formerly rested on the roadbed.And the distance it had been thrown was proof of considerable speed onthe part of the passing car.
So Elmer constantly found his previous experience in following a trailof considerable benefit when filling the position of a scout leader.Little things that others would have neglected to notice, or which, ifseen, might be looked upon as mere nothings, assumed an importance inhis eyes just as they would to an Indian born to reading signs whenfollowing a trail in forest or on the desert.
There was no especial need of shouting all this out for the informationof the two fellows following after him. They were quite satisfied toleave the arrangement of things in his hands. All Toby and Nat wantedwas a chance to have a say in the wind-up; and if the opportunity arose,to put in a good lick for Hickory Ridge.
All the while Elmer was trying to figure distances. He had taken note ofthe cyclometer at the time he passed Felix Wagner. It stood at justthirty-five miles then. And if, as they suspected, Lil Artha, thegallant Hickory Ridge representative, was some three or four miles aheadof his closest rival, it was now about time they were sighting thelong-legged boy pedestrian.
Indeed, unless they soon came upon him, Elmer would begin to worry, lestthose reckless blades in the Fairfield car had declined to wait fordarkness to come in order to hide their actions, and had already carriedtheir plan into execution.
It was therefore with a purpose that Elmer shaded his speed down untilthey were not moving along much more than twice as fast as a walkerwould go.
"Keep tabs on the road to the left, boys, as we go," he called back.
"What for?" demanded Toby, eager to do whatever the leader wished, andyet not able to see for himself.
"Notice any signs that might stand for a struggle," Elmer went on.
"Good gracious! Elmer, do you think they've jumped Lil Artha already?"demanded Toby; and from the rear Nat called out:
"Didn't you say you thought they'd hold over till it got dark enough sohe couldn't recognize 'em, Elmer?"
"That's right, I did; and I still believe so," replied the leader,confidently. "When I ask you to help me look for any signs of afree-for-all scrap, I don't believe we'll find such a thing; but I'mjust insuring the correctness of my ideas."
"Oh, that's it, eh?" said Toby; though from the manner in which heuttered the words it could be plainly seen that he failed to fully graspElmer's true meaning.
But with three pairs of young eyes on the watch, it was not very likelythat anything in the nature of marks indicating a scrimmage wouldescape. A lot of boys engaged in a wrestling match would be apt to leavemany traces on the road; for knowing Lil Artha as they did, the threechums felt sure he could not be hauled into that Fairfield auto withouta desperate resistance.
Once Nat sang out something that sounded as though he had made adiscovery; and instantly Elmer gave the signal for a stop. With hisheart beating like a trip hammer he dropped his machine and hurriedback.
"Where is it, Nat?" he asked, eagerly, ready to attempt the reading ofsuch signs as might be found on the dirt of the road.
Nat's eyes opened wide.
"Where's what?" he asked, as if astonished.
"Didn't you sing out that you'd seen something that ought to beinvestigated?" asked Elmer.
"Why, not that I know of," replied Nat, seeming rather confused.
"But you did call out something?" went on the other, hardly knowingwhether to feel provoked or to laugh.
"Sure I did; but it was only to tell you I was feeling as empty as asugar barrel that's been scraped clean. When do we get a snack, I'd liketo know?" Nat replied, rubbing the pit of his stomach as if to indicateits state of emptiness.
"Well, if that ain't the worst cheek I ever struck," growled Toby; "tostop us just when my machine had got into its best stride, and washumming most beautifully!"
"Oh, come off your perch!" cried Nat. "I didn't stop you--never dreamedof such a thing. It was an accident, that's all."
"Never mind," remarked Elmer, as he prepared to mount again. "Not muchtime lost, and I've made sure that Lil Artha has gone along here, _withthe car in front of him_!"
"What's that?" asked Toby, hardly understanding.
"Why, I've seen a place where our chum's footprint is marked _in thetread_ the automobile tire made in the half-hard mud. That tells asplain as print the car must have passed him back here a little; for ifhe was not coming _after_ it he could not have stepped in the trail leftby the tire," Elmer went on, calmly.
"Oh, yes, I see now what you mean, Elmer; and as sure as you live it's amighty clever idea. Takes you to think up all those things. That's whatyou learned when you were out there on the plains, didn't you?" Tobyremarked.
"Of course," was all the scout leader replied; but he could not helpthinking that in the case of some fellows it would be necessary for themto have about fifty years' experience out West before they could graspthe true meaning of clews and trails and such things.
"Is there any need now for us to look out, and try to find traces of ascrap?" asked Nat, as he balanced his machine and prepared to start.
"You might as well keep it up," came the answer.
"But if those chaps have gone ahead, what's the use?" demanded Nat.
"Because, don't you see," put in Toby, anxious to air his knowledge,"what's going to hinder them lying in wait, and jumping out on LilArtha. Shall we keep tabs of the left side as before, Elmer?"
"The left--yes; but I imagine we're going to come upon our chum mightysoon now. That track was fresh, and I've an idea it wasn't made morethan ten minutes ago, at the most fifteen."
Both the other lads looked admiringly at the one who was able soconfidently to say such a positive thing. They could not imagine how itwas done; and as their glances met they shook their heads, as thoughcondoling with each other on their mutual ignorance.
Then pop-pop-pop, and they were all off in a line, with Nat, as usualbringing up the rear, and Elmer in the van.
Ahead of them, about half a mile away, there seemed to be some sort of abend; although the shadows played around the spot so densely that eventhe sharp eyesight of Elme
r failed to make sure just what sort of acurve the road took there.
He had what he called a "hunch" that once around this they would be aptto sight the one in whose fortunes they were so vitally interested. Soaway they tore, letting the engines out for all they were worth; andNat, as before, utterly ignoring the fact that he had a mufflerconnected with his metal steed.
And as Elmer whirled around the curve he looked eagerly ahead. At firsthe saw nothing save a long stretch of road that seemed to mellow as itdropped a little in the distance. Was it possible that Lil Artha couldhave passed beyond the extreme limit of observation? If so, then thededuction he had made as to the length of time elapsing since thatfootprint was made could not have been the true one.
Ah, what was that moving there under the trees about half a mile ahead,and just before the road took its slight downward pitch? Surely he hadseen something rise and fall with regularity; and it could hardly be abranch.
The object caught his eye again. It was red, and Elmer suddenlyremembered that Lil Artha always made it a point to carry a couple ofbig red bandana handkerchiefs along with him when about to indulge inany game, whether baseball, football or a fishing excursion thatentailed a long walk.
Yes, surely that must be their comrade, who, hearing the familiarexplosion of the motorcycle engines, and possibly guessing that some ofthe Hickory Ridge boys were following on his trail, had stepped aside tolet them pass. And that waving of the red flag was not intended as asignal of warning, but simply Lil Artha's method of greeting his matesas they flew by.
He could see the tall figure plainly now, and even note how he carriedhis khaki jacket over his left arm, as the evening was anything butcool.
And Elmer felt a thrill of satisfaction as he realized that after alltheir troubles on the way they had finally come to the point where theywere about to join forces with the gallant fellow who was on histhirty-sixth mile and still set upon arriving at Little Falls longbefore dawn closed the contest.
Lil Artha stood at attention. He had recognized in the leading figurethe assistant scout master of the troop, and, like a good scout,believed in paying him the respect due his office. Under ordinarycircumstances they were chums and ready to indulge in any sort ofrough-and-tumble boyish wrestle, but when on duty it must always be adifferent thing.
So, as his hand came up in the regular scout salute, Lil Artha wassurprised to see that the other was bringing his motorcycle to a slowdown, as were also those in the rear, whom he now recognized as Toby andNat.
Apparently, then, they intended to stop and speak with him, perhaps withthe idea of giving him fresh courage to plod along over the ten miles orso that still remained between himself and his destination.
Nothing averse to having a little chat with his chums as he walkedalong, the tall scout stepped out from under the overshadowing branchesof the tree.
"Hello, fellows!" he remarked. "Say, this is mighty nice in you, huntingme up just to say howdy and wish me luck. What's the news back along theline?"
"All pins down in this alley but one other besides you, Lil Artha," saidToby, quickly.
"And I bet you I know who that chap is--he comes from Fairfield and hisname is Felix Wagner. How'd I get on to that? Why, what's the use oftelephones if you don't use 'em? I called up and found out, you see. Butdon't you worry one minute. Why, I ain't near played out. Fact is,fellows, I'm getting my second wind, and right now I'm good for anotherthirty without stopping."
"Gee, you are a wonder, all right!" exclaimed Nat, admiringly.
"But listen, Lil Artha," said Elmer as they walked on in company, thosewho had motorcycles trundling them along; "we've followed you all theway from Hickory Ridge, which we left at four to-day, just to warn youthat you're in danger of being kidnaped!"
"What!" exclaimed the tall scout, evidently astounded. "Say that again,won't you, Elmer? Me kidnaped! Say, are you joshing me now or what? Openup and tell me."