CHAPTER XIII
WHEN THE MOON WENT DOWN
"Did you know who it was, Paul?" asked Jack, after making sure none ofthe others were noticing that he and the leader of the troop had engagedin such a serious conversation.
"It was getting dusk, and I couldn't see very well on account of thetrees, you know; but something about the way he ducked made me think itwas Ward Kenwood."
"Well," chuckled Jack, "you've seen him duck often enough to know thesigns. Suppose it was Ward, then the rest of the bunch must have beenonly a little way behind. He's got a motorcycle, you know, and would beapt to pace them. But what became of him then?"
"I don't know," replied the patrol leader, rising. "Perhaps he left hismachine in the bushes, and crept away to warn the rest before theyexposed themselves. I'm going to find out if my eyes deceive me. Want togo with me, Jack?"
"Count me in. Shall I get a lantern; and do you want any more along?"asked his chum, preparing to get up from the ground.
"Two ought to be enough. Yes, bring a glim along; we may need it, forthat moon isn't very bright to-night, and the trees make considerableshadow."
Speaking in this fashion Paul left his position, and sauntered away.Possibly a few of the jolly company noticed his action, but took it forgranted that he was only intending to make the rounds, and see that thesentries were on post; for they had already stationed a couple of scoutsto serve as guardians of the camp.
Paul walked over to where Dobbin was munching the tender grass, beingsecured against straying by a long rope.
A minute later Jack joined him, carrying a lantern. Together they walkedto the road not far away, and turned back over the ground they hadcovered late in the afternoon.
"There's the bend," whispered Jack presently.
"I see it," replied his comrade; "and it must have been somewhere closeto this spot I saw that wheel appear, and then vanish so suddenly."
"Which side of the road did he dive into?" queried Jack.
"On our left. We'll look there first, anyhow, though if we find no signsI'll turn the other way, for I might have been mistaken. Watch sharp,now, Jack."
The light of the lantern soon showed them what Paul had expected tofind. The plain print of a pneumatic rubber tire was seen, turningabruptly off the road, and running into the scrub alongside.
"Here, what do you make of that?" he asked, a tinge of triumph in hisvoice.
"The mark of tires as sure as anything," replied Jack, bending down thebetter to examine the imprint. "From the way they show up you can see itwas no ordinary bicycle that made the trail, but something heavier. Yes,it was Ward on his motorcycle. But you didn't hear the popping of themachine, did you?"
"For a good reason," returned Paul, immediately. "You see the roaddescends for some distance, and he had just got over a long coast whenhe turned this bend. The engine was shut off."
"But the machine isn't here now?" continued Jack.
"Of course not," Paul admitted. "But any one with half an eye can seewhere he rolled it along here back of the brush, returning to where hecame from. If we followed it a little way, we'd be sure to find that hehurried back up the road, pushing his machine, and in time stopped therest of the bunch as they came along."
"Well, that proves one thing then; they know where we are in camp,"observed Jack, with a serious expression on his face; for he understoodTed Slavin's tactics of old, and could easily guess what might follow.
"It proves more than one thing to me," declared Paul. "If they didn'tmean to badger us in some way why should Ward hurry back to tell therest, and keep them from showing up here?"
"Then we'll have to get ready for an attack. Do you think they woulddare stone the camp, and try to smash our tents?" and Jack gritted histeeth at the bare idea.
"Would you put it past them?" Paul asked; "haven't they provedthemselves ready to do any sort of mean trick in the past? All we can dois to keep constantly ready, and live up to our motto."
"But suppose they do jump in on us; must we turn the other cheek, andget it on both sides?" demanded Jack, with whom this was always adisputed point.
"Not by any means," declared his chum, positively. "Boys may go acertain distance in forgiving an enemy who is sorry, and asks to be letoff; but they never will stand for milk and water stuff like that, andyou know it, Jack. We seek no quarrel, and will go as far as the nextone to avoid it; but," and Paul's face took on a look of grimdetermination while he was speaking, "if they push us too far, why wemust just sail in and lick the whole bunch. Sometimes peace can only behad after fighting for it."
"Glad to hear you say so. Shall we go back to the camp now, Paul?" askedhis chum.
"Might as well, I reckon," came the answer; "because we have no idea offollowing this trail back to where that crowd has camped. But I'm glad Ihappened to glimpse that fellow as he came around the bend. It gives usfair warning, and if we're caught napping, why we deserve to get theworst of the argument, that's all."
"Huh! I'm glad we brought our staves along then," observed Jack.
They turned to retrace their steps. Paul half fancied he had seen aflitting figure among the trees not far away; but the light was souncertain, he could not say positively that it had not been a passingshadow, cast by one of the boys near by, crossing in front of the bigfire.
If Ted and his followers were in truth hovering around, it would not beadvisable for himself and Jack to wander any further away, lest they beset upon, overpowered by superior numbers, and kidnapped.
That would be a sad beginning to the great tour, which was almostcertain to cause it to prove a failure from the start. Perhaps thoseshrewd plotters meant that it should be so; and were laying all theirplans to that effect.
Unconsciously, then, Paul quickened his footsteps, and cast more thanone glance over his shoulder, not fancying being taken by surprise. Evenhis companion noticed his uneasiness, and commented on it.
"Oh!" laughed Paul, "I imagine the idea must have come to me that they'dlike nothing better than to nab both of us, and carry us off. With nohead, the boys would soon get sick of staying up here, and scatter forhome."
"Well, then," declared Jack, positively, "they mustn't have a chance toget you, if we can help it. But here we are close to the camp. Do youmean to tell them now?"
"It might be just as well," answered the leader, seriously; "everyfellow would be put on his mettle then, knowing what was hanging overhis head. And the sentries will hardly dare go to sleep on post. I knowthey realize the nature of such an offense; but many of these fellowsare only tenderfeet when it comes to actual service; and what would youexpect of boys anyway?"
Jud was the first to see that something was wrong. As he jumped up andhurried over to confer, others took the alarm. Joking ceased, and alook of real concern might be noticed upon many a face that, but a brieftime before, was wreathed in broad smiles.
Then Paul explained. The moment he mentioned the name of Ted Slavinangry looks were exchanged between numbers of the scouts. They knew onlytoo well, whenever that bully was around, there was apt to be trouble.
"They're after our good grub, that's what!" suggested one, immediately.
"But they don't get it, if we know it," declared another, positively.
"We're for peace first, last and all the time, even if we have to fightfor it," observed William, showing his white teeth with one of hisfamous grins.
"That's the ticket. We seek no quarrel with anybody; but we're like PaulJones' flag of the Revolution, with a rattlesnake coiled, and the motto,'don't tread on me!' Isn't that it, fellows?" exclaimed WallaceCarberry.
"Leave it to Paul here; he knows what to do," ventured Jack.
"Sure," called out Bobolink, lustily; "whatever Paul says goes with us.Think up a good one, please, Paul, and teach those pirates a lessonthey'll remember. They've been wanting a good licking this long timeback."
"After what we did to them only last night?" demanded Jack. "If yourleft leg was sore this morning, what d'ye think the other f
ellow's feltlike?"
"Thirty cents, I reckon," replied William, promptly.
Paul soon had his plan of campaign practically arranged. As it wasplainly the intention of the marauders to steal a portion or all oftheir supplies, these were taken from the wagon and stored in theduplicate mess tent. As this happened to be in the middle of the campthe chances of any hostile force being able to reach it withoutattracting attention from those on guard seemed too remote to causeanxiety.
Other arrangements were made. Fires were laid ready for instantkindling, so that in case of a midnight alarm the woods might be quicklyilluminated, and the enemy readily discovered.
Paul went about certain preparations on his own account, nor did he takeany one into his confidence, not even his chum.
"When does the moon set to-night, Wallace?" he asked, knowing that thesober Carberry Twin always kept informed concerning such matters.
"Eleven twenty-seven," came the immediate reply, just as if Wallacemight be reading it from an almanac; and so he was, only it was figuredout in his wise old brain, and not printed upon book paper.
"Then if there's going to be any sort of row, believe me it will holdoff until after that time," remarked the patrol leader, positively.
"Yes, Ted is always copying after the Indians in those cheap librarystories he buys for his nickels," Wallace made reply. "Those five-centredmen never used to attack a camp until the moon had gone down.Generally it was just before peep of day, because men, and boys too,seem to sleep sounder then."
"All right. You and I will be on deck to receive them. I've fixed it soour turn comes after eleven, for I knew the new moon would be gone bythen. That gives us a chance to snatch some sleep beforehand," remarkedPaul.
Once more, just before taps was sounded, he made the rounds of theencampment in order to reassure himself that all was well.
At that time nothing suspicious caught his eye. If any of their foeswere hovering near by they knew well how to conceal themselves so as notto be discovered.
Dobbin was still munching the sweet grass as far around him as his ropewould permit. Like most old raw-boned horses he seemed never able to getenough to eat. Still, Paul thought that the expedition would be reducedto more or less straits if deprived of old Dobbins' services; and so heordered that the animal be led up closer to the camp, being secured toa tree where he could be watched.
With the warning call from the bugler there was an immediate dispersalof the merry group around the campfire. These boys had been drilled inthe duties that devolve upon organized forces in the field. Theyunderstood that without discipline nothing could ever be accomplished;and all were ready to obey orders to the letter.
There was a little good-natured scrambling when the rude beds were madeup; but as soon as "taps" really sounded all activity ceased. No fellowwas anxious to be the first to get bad marks registered against him inthe record of the big hike.
Those selected for doing duty during the first part of the night pacedtheir posts, and exchanged low calls whenever they drew near oneanother. They were expected to keep a vigilant watch over the entirecamp, and if the least suspicious thing caught their attention, a signalhad been arranged whereby Paul would be notified, even though he wereasleep at the time.
Two hours passed without the slightest alarm. Then came the time tochange sentries. Paul and Wallace were among the quartette that now cameon duty; for the acting scoutmaster insisted on sharing the duties ofhis men. He refused to benefit by the circumstances that had conspiredto thrust him into the exalted position usually filled by Mr. Gordon.
Just as Wallace had predicted, the moon faded out of sight beforehalf-past eleven came around. After that it was certainly dark, andperhaps it seemed more so on account of the contrast.
Believing that if any peril hung over them, now was the time for it tomake itself known, Paul redoubled his vigilance as he kept back in theshadows among the trees and eagerly watched in the direction of thecamp.
For half an hour nothing happened. He heard the customary sounds in thewoods, with which he was so familiar, and which he so dearly loved.
Then, while he was gazing at the dying camp fire he suddenly made adiscovery that gave him quite a start.
Some moving object caught his eye, not upon the ground as might havebeen expected, but up in the branches of a wide-spreading oak tree.