CHAPTER XI
A SURPRISE FOR MR. PHIPPS
The third box, addressed to Fred, proved to be from Mr. Stanton,containing the handbooks, badges and patrol flag.
After distributing the badges, and admiring the flag, each of the boysmade a hasty examination of his book.
"How we goin' to learn about first aid to the injured?" inquired Gray.
"Oh, dad'll teach you that," responded Dunk readily. "He said he would."
"And Hawke's going to teach us aviation, and Carl can show us trailing,"began Jerry.
"And my dad'll show you craftsmanship and machinery, and we all knowswimming," cut in Fly.
"Whoopee, fellows," shouted Fred, "we've got nearly all the badges now!"
"Who knows all the states in the union?" asked Hawke with a smile,reading from the Scout Handbook.
It was found that only Carl and Fred could stand this test.
"Who can tie a bowline knot?" demanded Dunk.
"Say, this ain't no schoolroom," objected Jerry. "I see we've got towork some for those badges," he added thoughtfully, "but it's fun justthe same."
"Tell you what we'll do," burst out Herb suddenly, throwing down hisbook, his dark eyes snapping.
The boys were ready in an instant for anything he might suggest.
"Let's get on all these duds," proposed the rancher, "have a regularscout tramp over to the ranch and surprise dad with a dressed-upparade."
"Bully for you," shouted Fred.
"Can't we borrow a drum somewhere?" suggested Dunk.
"Dad's got one I can get," offered Jerry.
"Jerry's some drummer too," said Fly.
"All right, get a move on you," ordered the southerner. "It's just tennow, and if we start right soon we'll get there about time for dinner."
About a half hour afterwards, Captain Crawford was drawn to his windowoverlooking the parade grounds, by the martial sound of drum beats.
"Well, I never," he exclaimed to his wife, who hurried to join him.
Filing past the house two by two, in regular order and military step wasthe new Boy Scout Patrol, uniformed and carrying bright new rifles.Fred, bearing the flag, was slightly in advance, while just behind himwas the tall form of their son, dexterously flipping the drumsticks androlling out rhythmic march time.
Not once did any of the paraders turn in the direction of the house,although they felt they were being observed.
Captain Crawford leaned out of the window.
"Hurrah for the 7th infantry," he shouted. "I mean the seven infants,"he amended laughing.
The boys maintained their composure with difficulty at this sally, butfollowing Fred's leadership, wheeled and marched up, abreast, to thefront steps, where they stood marking time.
"At your service, Captain," announced Fred, saluting.
"Present arms, shoulder arms, port arms, order arms!" commanded Jerry'sfather.
The bewildered company started to comply, but the orders came too fastfor them, and soon their efforts were checked by a merry shout from thecaptain.
"Back to training camp," he ordered. With a general laugh the boys brokeranks.
"We're goin' on a scout tramp over to Phipps' ranch," announced Jerry.
"This is a good day," assented the captain. "Been kind of cloudy allmorning, so you won't find it very warm walking."
"How do you like us," asked Fly, looking down at his khaki trousers,while the others looked up expectantly.
"You look like regular soldiers," commented Mrs. Windham, who had joinedthe captain and his wife at the window.
"Your suits are very pretty," put in Mrs. Crawford.
"Ha--Ha!--your mother says the suits are pretty," reiterated thecaptain. "Guess that's handing it to you."
"Oh, as for us," retorted Fred. "We're just plain handsome."
"Tell Phipps he's spoiling the whole bunch of you," enjoined thecaptain, as the party started down the road that led to the ranch.
They had been unable to bring all their new equipment, but the canteenswere strapped on and each boy carried his Remington. The whistles,drinking cups and penknives were safely stowed away in trouser pockets.On their shirts were pinned the new Boy Scout badges.
"Sorry Hawke couldn't go," said Dunk. The aviator had some businessletters on hand, and chose to remain at the Fort.
"Ever develop that picture you took in the mountains?" asked Fly ofFred.
"Yes, but it was no good. Something the matter with the plate. Hawke'sgot the proof," responded Fred. "Order, now," he added, with pretendedseverity. "Remember, left, right, left, right, ready," and the boysstarted off in correct step.
About midway in their tramp they met a group of Indians, of which Tommywas one, returning from a search for customers for their baskets andbead work.
"Pike along slow, fellows," said Carl. "I'm going to see if Tommy knowsanything about our friend of yesterday."
He engaged the old Indian in conversation, while the other boys parleyedwith the squaws over their wares. After some good-natured teasing, Fredbought a particularly attractive woven basket for his mother, and Graypurchased a bead belt, which he intended to take to his sister when hewent back to New York.
"Tommy doesn't seem to know very much about him," informed Carl when hejoined his companions. "Says he showed up here about a week ago, andwanted to know if anyone could tell him where he could find the oldThunder Bird shrine."
"Did Tommy ever see him before?" asked Dunk.
"No. None of these Indians around here ever did. He says he has beendown in the Mexico mining districts, but claims to be an AraviapaApache. That's what my father was, and he looks to be of the sametribe."
"Looks somethin' like you," remarked Fly.
"I think so too," chimed in Fred.
"Well, Tommy says the old scout has an idea he has done something tooffend the Great Spirit," continued Carl, "and, unless he makes somekind of reparation, he won't get into the happy hunting ground with hisancestors."
Carl smiled at this fallacy which he had long since abandoned.
"Did he say what he had done?" inquired Herb.
"No, merely said that a medicine man told him he was on the wrong sideof the deity and that he'd better make up. Seems that he thinks if heputs the Thunder Bird back on its shrine again everything will be allright. I think he's got the talk of some missionaries and his own ideasmixed. It isn't like an Indian to be making up for bad deeds."
"Get in line there, you scouts," ordered Fred, for his patrol haddisorganized during Carl's conversation.
"Remember you have to stick to the rules," added the leader, trying tobe severe.
The boys fell back at once, and started on two and two, keeping step andorder the rest of the way.
Though shorter than any of the other boys, young Windham had thepersonality of a commander, and, as he marched on ahead, his head erect,and square shoulders set, he gave promise of being an influential leaderlater on in life.
It was about two hours afterward that they reached the outskirts of theBread Pudding ranch, tired but by no means fagged.
They stopped for a few minutes' rest and adjustment. After a long drinkfrom their canteens, which they had filled with ice water before leavingthe Fort, they laved their faces and hands. Then refreshed but somewhatexcited, they started for the ranch-house.
It was agreed that Jerry should not begin drumming until they had comevery near, planning to take a path on the other side of the house whichbrought them very close without disclosing them until they were withinfull view of the veranda.
As they came up, the drum rolling, they saw Hop Sing, who was gatheringvegetables for dinner, stop, look, and then make for the kitchen as fastas his thin legs would take him.
"Look at those chop suey drumsticks," laughed Fly, as the Chink vanishedthrough the doorway.
"Never recognized us," laughed Jerry, giving his sticks an extra twirl,and, consequently, producing more noise.
They saw Mr. Phipps before he sighted them. He had a
risen from his seaton the veranda, where he had been enjoying his newspaper before dinnershould be announced, and was looking down the road for the source of thecommotion. As the boys turned sharply at the east wing of the big house,they were brought into full view. They walked steadily on, as straightas comfort would allow them, keeping step like a squad of trainedsoldiers, and looking neither to the left nor the right, althoughseveral of them could not help smiling. Mr. Phipps gave them one puzzledglance, then threw up his hands, and bending back his head, laughed longand loud.
"You young rascals," he roared. "Here I thought the state militia wasout after my hide."
Fred led his small company around in a circle in front of the house,then made several zigzag figures which he had learned for a drill whilein Cleveland. Finally they drew up, abreast, before Mr. Phipps, and,solemnly saluting, gave three hearty cheers.
"Fine, fine!" exclaimed the rancher. "My, but you all look brave andferocious. You might be able to meet a real enemy--with his back towardyou. Let's see how they fit."
The small army marched up onto the veranda, while the rancher gave thema critical survey.
"Couldn't be better," he finally announced satisfied. "Not if you hadhad them tailor made."
"They're certainly great," returned Fly, a little awkwardly.
Then he looked at Jerry, and the other boys followed his example....There was a sudden silence, as they drew in a closer circle around Mr.Phipps. It had been planned that Jerry should make a short speech ofthanks to their generous patron. But though he was brave enough when thesuggestion was made, now that the time had come the boy felt himselfgrowing shaky and confused.
The surprised rancher looked around at the quiet group a little puzzled.Finally Fly gave Jerry a nudge, at which the latter collected himself aswell as he could, and with something of a tremble in his voice, whichseemed suddenly weak and faint, he began what he had planned to make avery grand speech.
"Mr. Phipps," he said, his cheeks growing rapidly redder and hotter,while his knees shook, "we--we--we all want to thank you very muchfor--"
"Oh, forget it," entreated the man, giving the relieved Jerry anaffectionate pat on the back. "Why, you boys have nothing to thank mefor. You're just like my own sons--you're Herb's playmates. Yuh see Herbhasn't any mother to--to--but I tell you, I like to have him associatedwith a fine lot of lads like you. Get into the house here, and we'll seeif we can pick up some grub." The rough rancher spoke cordially, butthere was a slight shake in his voice.
"We're always grabbin' fodder over here," apologized Fly, as they madefor the dining room.
"And I guess we're here with our appetites to-day," put in Dunk. "Thatwas a fine tramp for a hungry fellow."
"Well, go to it."
"Lose any sheep lately?" asked Dunk, as the usual hearty mealprogressed, or rather disappeared.
"They haven't bothered us since Sunday night," responded Phipps. "Abouttime for something to be doing."
"I've got to get back early this afternoon and go to work," said Fly,when they arose from the table--"filled to the eyes," to use Gray'swords.
"Guess we'd better go back," said Jerry.
"I've got to go to Silver City to-day myself," said Mr. Phipps. "Supposeyou all pile in my hack and we'll drive over."
This was a welcome suggestion and the boys quickly accepted it.