CHAPTER XV
THE BOOGIE OF THE TOWER
"LET Elmer go on, and tell us some more," suggested Toby.
"Yes, we can talk it all over after we know the whole thing," added LilArtha.
"Once I got that notion in my head," the scout master continued, "and Ibegan to investigate along those lines. When I heard from two farmers inthe market, who happened to live up this way, that for weeks they hadbeen missing things off their places, mostly something to eat, I beganto figure it out that the crazy man had to live, and would most likelyforage for his grub, about like Sherman's bummers did in the Civil War,subsisting on the enemy's country.
"One of the hayseeds told me he had even set a trap for the thief,thinking it might be just an ordinary hobo; and when the alarm came onenight he had hurried out to the hen-house only to find a couple ofchickens gone, and the trap sprung, but no victim in it, for the thiefhad been too smart for him. But he said it beat him all hollow when hefound tracks of _bare feet_ around on the partly frozen ground in themorning, because it seemed queer that any tramp would be going aroundwithout shoes so near winter time!"
"Whew!" gasped Toby, entranced, and almost held spellbound by thisthrilling recital of facts and fancies.
"The other farmer," Elmer went on to say, "told me that twice when hehad had a visit from the strange thief he managed to glimpse somethingwhite that was making off at top speed, and which he expected was a man,though he couldn't be sure. He also said he had loaded up hisdouble-barrel shotgun, and was going to give the rascal a hot receptionthe next time he called around. All of which kept making me feel that Iwas on the right track."
"You just bet you were, Elmer!" Lil Artha exclaimed.
"A figure in white, remember, fellows; and the one we saw to-night wasdressed that way, as sure as shooting!" said Toby, convincingly.
"The poor Oxley fellow was in Cuba during the Spanish war, and must havefetched the white uniform of a Spanish officer home with him," suggestedTy Collins; "when he went out of his mind he imagined himself a Spanishrecruit, and they let him wear that soldier suit to humor him."
"Yes, and right now he believes he has escaped from an American prison,and is trying to hide from the guard. He has to eat to live, and so hesteals things from the farmers around. Of course it's only a matter ofgood luck that he hasn't been shot before now; and it couldn't last muchlonger."
"Why, when winter gets here in dead earnest the poor fellow would freezeto death, like as not," George remarked, showing that he was beingconvinced against his will.
"But what gets me is his staying around the old haunted house," remarkedToby.
"Oh! I don't see what there is queer about that," Lil Artha declared."Course he couldn't know anything about all this talk, so it's hardlylikely he's been trying to play ghost on us. We fooled ourselves, that'swhat," with a quick look toward Chatz, as though to intimate thatpossibly the Southern boy had had considerable to do with their beinghoodwinked; which was a lamentable fact, for a small fraction of yeastwill scatter through the whole pan of dough.
"And when you come to think of it," added Lil Artha, who had somethingof a long head when a knotty question was involved, "where could a crazyman find a better hiding place than in a house said to be haunted, I'dlike to know?"
"The poor fellow!" Ted was heard to say, that being his first utterance."Tell you what, we ought to put in all the rest of our time up heretrying to capture him. I'd never feel thatithfied to lie in my comfy bedat home nighth, thinking of him up here, freezing perhapth. Thay wewill, Elmer, and you too, boyth!"
Ted was tender-hearted, and could never bear to see any one suffer if hehad it in his power to alleviate the pain. He promised to make a finedoctor some day, for his knowledge along the line of medicine andsurgery was really wonderful; but while the other scouts had been sodeeply interested in figuring things out, and settling the question ofthe strange man's identity, Ted had doubtless only considered hisphysical sufferings past and present.
"I promise you that, Ted, with all my heart," Elmer assured him,promptly enough, "because I wouldn't be satisfied to go away and leave ahelpless fellow like that here. I only wonder that he hasn't tried tosteal some of our stores before now; and perhaps we could set a trapthat would catch him, if he ever does come into camp. But we won'tdepend too much on that. Sometimes the mountain won't come to you; andthen you've got to go to the mountain. That's one of the sayings theMohammedans have about their prophet, you know. Well, to-morrow we'llget busy looking around, and see if we can locate this Ralph Oxley."
"Oh! is that his full name, then?" asked Toby, and he repeated it tohimself, as though he rather liked the sound: "Ralph Oxley!"
"He must have some sort of hiding-place around here," Toby ventured,"and who knows but what we might run across the trail of a barefootedman somewhere, that would lead us to his den."
"These crazy people are pretty slick, let me tell you," George hinted;"and it ain't going to be an easy job to run him down."
"It mightn't be for some fellows who knew next to nothing abouttracking," Lil Artha spoke up, proudly; "but when scouts have beenthrough as much as we have it's different. Once we get a sight of histracks, and believe me there'll be something doing right away."
"I'm glad to hear you say that, Lil Artha," the scout master told him;"it shows that you've got a heap of confidence in your knowledge of thetrail. Well, you've a right to feel that way. I can remember severaltimes when you beat us all out in finding signs, and getting there inthe end. We'll all do our level best to find his lair, and bring backMr. Oxley's son in the flesh. They must be dreadfully worried about hisabsence by this time, and believe he has been drowned in either LakeJupiter or the Sweetwater River. It would be a feather in our caps if wecould restore the poor fellow to his folks."
"You told us he was a soldier, didn't you, Elmer?" pursued Toby; "andsay, p'raps now he thought he was on guard when he kept marching backand forth dozens of times to-night. How about that, Elmer?"
"No doubt about it at all, Toby," came the reply; "for that was what hewas doing. I remembered what they had told me about his wearing whiteclothes, even if they were soiled some by now, and thinking he is aSpanish soldier. I believe he had a stick held up against his shoulder,for all the world like a sentry's gun, and if we hadn't frightened himoff he might have kept that thing up for hours."
They continued to talk it over for some further time, and then havingapparently about exhausted the subject made ready to turn in. FirstElmer picked out two others who were to constitute the first watch withhim. They had to sit it out for a certain length of time, and keepconstantly on the lookout for a visitor; but as the limit of their vigilwas reached, and nothing happened, Elmer aroused three other scouts, andbade them take the places vacated by himself, Toby and Lil Artha.
Morning arrived, and there had been no alarm. It was to be assumed thatthose who had fulfilled the duties of sentries during the latter part ofthe night had not slept on their posts. Elmer made an examination of thestores, and found nothing amiss there; so it was settled that the crazyman could not have mustered up enough courage to invade the camp ofthose he considered his enemies.
After breakfast Elmer, accompanied by Chatz and Lil Artha, started outto take a turn around in the woods, and look for signs of a trail madeby bare feet. Some of the others amused themselves as they saw fit, surethat if the trail-seekers did make any interesting discovery they wouldhear all about the same, and undoubtedly be given a chance to helpfollow it.
It was Saturday, and had they been at home no doubt these same boysmight have been kicking the pigskin oval around with their fellows,since it was still the gridiron season, and most of them belonged to theHickory Ridge football squad. They were much happier, however, in havingchosen this last camping trip of the season, for like true scouts theirkeenest enjoyment lay in getting in close touch with Nature, andlearning many of her most cherished secrets. Football was all very goodin its way, but there were better things, as they had learned t
hroughexperience; and a search after practical knowledge was one of them.
"Now, I'll never get a better time to try it out," Toby up and declaredas he began to gather that bundle of his in his arms; "and I hope acouple of you fellows will come with me to see my crowning triumph."
"I s'pose that means you're thinking of taking that fool jump off thetower of the old house, and want us to be parties to the crime?" Georgesuggested, bitingly.
Toby surveyed him scornfully.
"I'm intending to make a glorious drop, and land on the ground as lightas any chicken feather might," he went on to say, with emphasis. "Ifthat's all the faith you've got in your chum's ability, George, mebbeyou'd better stay here in camp. It will spare you the sight of mygetting a broken leg, you know. I didn't ask you when I extended thatinvitation; but I would like to have Ty and Ted come along; Landy too ifhe wants to join us, and shout when I prove the great value of my nobleinvention along humanitarian lines."
"Whew! you have got it down pat," chuckled Landy.
"Sure you want Doctor Ted along," sneered George; "you know which sideof your bread's buttered, don't you, Toby? If a cog slips in yourwheels, and you take a hard tumble you'll find his being on hand mightyacceptable. I'd carry splints and bandages in plenty, Ted. And if Ihave time I think I'll start to shaping up some kind of crutch whileyou're away. Things like that come in handy sometimes. This is going tobe one of those times, I'm afraid."
"Rats! you old croaker, nothing would ever be accomplished in this worldif everybody was like you. They'd be afraid to take a chance. Thingsthat their ancestors used 'd be good enough for them, like the Chinese.But thank goodness there are _some_ progressive people livin' thesedays, like Edison, Marconi, and a few others."
"Jones, f'r instance!" chuckled George. "Well, if I don't show up at theexhibition good luck to you, Toby. I hope it won't be anything worsethan a leg, or your collarbone, or five teeth knocked out. I wish yougreat success. Tell me all about it when you get back. And I'm in deadearnest about that crutch, too. I think I know how to shape one out of athick wild grapevine, if I can only find the right sort."
There was no use trying to talk George down, once he got started, and noone knew this better than Toby, who had been worsted in many a verbalencounter before now, so he only jerked his head contemptuously, andlifting his burden, called out to the others:
"Come along, boys, if you've decided to be witnesses to my triumph.Mebbe your names will go ringing down the ages too, as being presentwhen the glorious test was made that marked the end of aviators'perils."
"One thing I think we'd better do, Toby," suggested Ty.
"Well, name it," the other threw over his shoulder as he trampedsturdily along, carrying his wonderful parachute ready for business.
"When you say you're all ready for the jump I'm going to give the wolfcall, so Elmer, Lil Artha and Chatz can have a chance to come around,and share the honor with us of being living witnesses of your work."
Toby seemed to ponder this for half a minute; and then remarked:
"I guess that would only be fair, because Elmer might feel huffed if Ijumped into glory, and him not there to see it. Yes, I'll get up on thetower and when I say the word you give the '_how--oooo_' call that'llfetch 'em running."
"Consider that a bargain then, Toby," Ty told him; "and remember, don'tyou go to making your jump till they come up. Elmer might be provoked,and believe you sneaked off unbeknown to him to try the same. They'relikely somewhere close by, I reckon, and we're apt to run across thetrackers hard at work while we're on our way to the haunted house rightnow."
But they did not, although they caught the sound of voices through theaisles of the dense woods, and knew that Elmer with his comrades must besomewhere, not far away.
The old building stood there just as they had seen it before. Landy andTy had not been along when the nutting party met with their firstadventure here; but on the preceding afternoon they had surveyed thewreck of a house, so that their only experience had not been the one atmidnight.
Besides, now that the halo of mystery had been removed, so that theyknew the white object they had seen was only a poor crazy fellow and nota ghost from the other world, the boys experienced far less timidityabout approaching the house.
"We'll stay down here, Toby," said Ty, as he took up a position that wasdirectly underneath the tower.
Ted had carried a burden along with him also. This he now threw upon theground, and it proved to be one of the stout camping blankets. Toby onlychuckled when he saw that.
"Please yourselves, fellows," he assured his comrades, "but you won'tneed anything like that. I'm going to float like a thistledown. It'll bethe triumph of the age, and don't you forget it. Watch what I do, now,everybody!"
With that Toby boldly entered the house, and started to make his way upto the tower. Apparently he must have noticed how one could reach thatelevated region, though as yet none of them had thought to go there.Inside of five minutes the boys below saw him looking down at them fromfar above.
"Wait till I get my parachute ready, fellows!" he called; "and there'sElmer and the rest hurrying up, waving their hands like they wanted meto hold on till they got here. Mebbe I will; the more the merrier!Stretchin' out your old blanket, are you? Well, take my word for it youwon't need to grab me any. I'm staking a heap on this thing to hold meup easy. Wow! what's this? Let go, there, you don't get that preciousthing away from me! Hey! fellows, here's that crazy man tackled me! He'swantin' to grab everything! Quit pushin' or you'll have us both tumblin'over the edge! Whoop! somebody come up here and help, or he'll get me!"
The two boys below heard all this shouted at the top of Toby's voice;although of course they had but slight glimpses of the strugglingfigures above. A desperate wrestling for the possession of the parachutewas evidently going on, for they could hear the sound of scuffling feet;and besides, Elmer and the others who were fast coming on the run,seemed to be shouting at the top of their voices, as though under theimpression that by the noise of their yells they might alarm the man whowas out of his mind and had attacked the scout, believing him an enemy.