CHAPTER IX.
OPENING COMMUNICATIONS.
IT was the most natural thing in the world for the detachment of scoutsto come to a halt when they discovered the vehicle coming up in theirrear. In the midst of such wild surroundings it was indeed quite asurprise to discover anything so civilized. So they lined up on eitherside of the road, resting on the stout staves which all of them carriedas a means of assistance in their mountain climbing; just as tourists inthe Alps do when ascending some peak.
Thad noticed how quickly Bob White pulled his broad-brimmed campaign hatdown over his eyes; and at the same time managed to slip partly behindone of his companions. It would interfere somewhat with the cherishedplans of the boy, should Reuben Sparks recognize him; and this was acatastrophe which Bob certainly wished to avoid, if possible.
The vehicle came on, and apparently the man must be telling hiscompanion how he had met these young fellows before, for she was lookingahead with a great deal of interest and curiosity; though hardlydreaming that her cousin could be among the lads, who were clad in neatkhaki uniforms, with puttees for leggings, and the well-known hats thatdistinguish Boy Scouts in every clime under the sun.
Just as Thad had expected would be the case, Reuben Sparks drew in hishorse as he arrived in the midst of the scouts. Evidently he wanted tohave a few minutes' talk with them; and allow the girl a chance to catchfor herself a fleeting glimpse of that outside world of which she knewso little.
"How are you, boys?" remarked the driver of the horse.
"Pretty fairly, sir," replied Thad, anxious to keep the attention of theother directed toward himself as much as possible, because of Bob'sdesire to remain unnoticed in the background. "We haven't been used tomountain work; but it's fine exercise, and our muscles are getting inshape by degrees."
Thad had before now, of course, flung a look at the girl who was sittingbeside Reuben Sparks. He was more interested because of the fact that heknew her to be the little Cousin Bertha, of whom Bob White had beentelling him.
She was a pretty little girl too, Thad could see that; and he alsothought there was a wistful expression on her delicate face. If, as Bobdeclared, Bertha was really a prisoner in the care of a cruel guardian,when her whole soul longed to be away from these wild mountains, and inthe haunts of civilization, that expression would be easily understood.
And right then and there Thad Brewster found himself siding with hischum Bob White more than ever. He felt a hope beginning to grow strongwithin his heart that some way might be discovered whereby Bertha couldbe taken from the Blue Ridge, which country she detested, andtransplanted to that Northern town where lived her own flesh and bloodrelatives, who yearned to care for her tenderly, if only the law wouldallow.
Thad saw that Bob was no longer in the same place. The scouts had movedforward a little, to cluster around the vehicle, while their leader heldconversation with the gentleman. And Bob was gradually making his wayaround so as to come on the other side, where he might in some wayattract the attention of the little maid without Reuben seeing him.
It was plain to be seen that he hoped to seize upon this goldenopportunity to open communications with Bertha. Thad, while he continuedto talk with Reuben, and interest him more or less in the object of ahike on the part of Boy Scouts, kept one eye in the direction of BobWhite.
He saw the other take off his campaign hat, and wave it up and down witha movement that of course attracted the attention of the girl. Shestarted violently as she saw that well-known face of her cousin, of whomshe had been so fond ever since she was a little tot.
Wise Bob instantly placed a warning finger on his lips, and the girlimmediately turned her face the other way, while that campaign hat wasdrawn further down than ever over the boy's face. So that when Reubenglanced round, as if wondering what had caused his ward to give such aviolent start, he saw nothing suspicious in the boy who was apparentlybending over, fastening his shoestring.
Of course Reuben Sparks knew more or less about Boy Scouts, even thoughhe may never have had the opportunity of meeting any of the greatorganization up to this time. No one who had the ability to read thepapers could be without that knowledge. And Thad made it a point tomention any number of interesting features connected with their work,that rather opened his eyes, and kept him asking for more information.
Like many other people, Reuben Sparks had imagined that the movement hadto do with drilling American boys, so that they could become soldiers asthey grew up. He now learned, to his surprise, that there never could bea greater mistake. Instead of teaching boys to fight, the principles ofthe organization tend toward peace. The main thing advanced is to makeboys more manly, self-reliant, courteous, brave, self-sacrificing,forgetting their own comfort when they can do a good deed, and relievedistress; take care of themselves when in the woods; and perhaps savethe life of a comrade, should he be wounded by a carelessly usedhatchet; or come near drowning.
No wonder then that Reuben Sparks found himself intensely interested inwhat Thad was telling him. His eyes were being opened to facts that hehad never dreamed could be connected with a simple organization ofgrowing lads. And many another who has scoffed at the silly idea oftrying to improve upon the breed of American boys, has been staggeredwhen brought face to face with many wonderful results that have alreadysprung from this greatest of all upward movements.
Thad saw after a bit that his object had been accomplished. Bob Whitehad not been so busy tying his shoestring as Reuben imagined. On thecontrary he was scribbling something on a scrap of paper, which he helddoubled up in his hand when he worked his way to the rear of thevehicle.
Undoubtedly the little missy who sat there so demurely beside Reubenmust have been slily watching his actions. And moreover, she surelydivined what Bob meant to do; for as Thad watched, he saw her left hand,being the one further away from her guardian, quietly slip back, untilit came within easy touching distance of the scout who had sauntered upthere.
No doubt impulsive Bob must have pressed that little hand even as hepassed his note into its possession; for as he told Thad, he had alwaysloved his small cousin like a sister.
Fearing detection, the boy quickly moved away; and it was fortunate hedid, since Reuben in the midst of his questions glanced suspiciouslyaround, a minute later.
There was now no longer any reason for detaining the owner of thevehicle; and Thad's eagerness in answering questions and givinginformation slackened.
Truth to tell, he was not at all favorably impressed with the looks ofthe gentleman. Reuben had keen, rat-like eyes, that seemed to burn ahole in one when they became focused. There was constant suspicion inhis manner, as though with so many secrets to hide, he had always to beon guard. And besides, Thad believed that Bob must have struck a truechord when he declared the other to be cruel and unscrupulous by nature.
Perhaps he might be plotting to secure the little inheritance left tothe child by her father. It seemed almost beyond belief that any onecould be so mean as to want to injure so sweet looking a little girl asBertha; but then, Old Reuben worshipped gold, and when a man becomes amiser he hesitates at few things in order to add to his stores.
But however the gentleman might have been interested in learning moreabout the ways of Boy Scouts, Thad took particular notice that he didnot invite the hiking Silver Fox Patrol to stop a day or so with him athis mountain home.
It might have been just natural meanness that caused this, since eighthealthy young appetites would eat up all in his larder. But then again,there may have been other reasons for the lack of Southern hospitality.Possibly Reuben did not care to have inquisitive strangers prowlingabout his place. He may have occasional visitors, who brought cargoeswhich he would not want other eyes to see.
The boys fell in shortly after the vehicle had vanished around a bend ofthe road ahead; and the march was once more resumed.
Of course Bob took the earliest opportunity to forge alongside of Thad.He was feverishly excited, so that his black eyes sparkled, and hisbre
ath came faster than usual.
"What did you think of him, Thad?" he asked, the first thing.
"I must say I don't just like his looks;" replied the other; "but yourlittle cousin is everything you said she was. But Bob, she doesn't lookhappy!"
"You could see that too, could you, suh?" exclaimed the other, grittinghis teeth angrily. "I know he treats her badly. She is thinner in thecheeks than she was two years ago, though taller some. And Thad, there'sa look in her eyes that hurts me. I'm glad I wrote what I did in thatlittle note I slipped in her hand. Later on I'm going to tell you aboutit. But oh! it looks like there was a slim chance to do anything forpoor little Bertha."
Thad hardly knew how to console his chum. Boy-like he was ready topromise anything that lay in his power.
"Well, there are eight of us, and that's not as bad as being herealone," he suggested, with a cheering pat of his hand on the other'sshoulder.
"You'll never know how much comfort I get out of that, Thad," theSouthern boy went on to say, in a broken voice. "You see, I've beenbelieving for a long time that there must have been something crookedabout the way Reuben Sparks came into possession of Bertha, and herproperty. But how to prove it, when my father failed, is what gets menow. But I'm full of hope; and what you keep saying gives me a heap ofsolid comfort. I'm going to try and learn the truth while I'm down here;and take her away from that man, if it can be done. I'm only a boy, andhe's a cold scheming man; but all the same, Thad, something inside hereseems to tell me my visit to the Old Blue Ridge isn't going to beuseless."
Bob White seemed to be sensibly encouraged after his little chat withthe patrol leader; for when he dropped back among the rest of the scoutshe had allowed a winning smile to creep over his dark, proud, handsomeface.