CHAPTER V. THE CAMP IN THE HAYMOW.
"There's a farmhouse over yonder, Thad; and night's coming on pretty fastnow!" called out Davy Jones later on, after the expedition had coveredseveral more miles of ground, and seemed to be descending an incline thatwould very likely shortly take them to the bank of the windingSusquehanna.
"I hope we decide to bunk in a haymow, and not out in the open to-night,"added Step Hen. "Not having any tents along makes it a poor businesstrying to keep off the rain, if she should drop in on us. How about it,Thad?"
"I reckon, suh, we're all of one mind there," remarked Bob White.
"Just as you say, boys," Thad announced. "We'll turn in here, and see ifthe farmer will allow us to camp in his barnyard."
"And mebbe he might sell us a couple of fat chickens, and some fresh milkor cream to go with our coffee. That would be about as fine as silk, I'mtelling you," and Giraffe, who had rejoined his comrades, looking justthe same as ever, rubbed his stomach as he said this, by that meansimplying that the prospect pleased him even more than words could tell.
Accordingly the line of march was changed. They abandoned the road, andstarted up the lane that led to the farmhouse. A watchdog began barkingfuriously, and at the sound several people came out of the house, and thebig barn as well; so that while the scouts had clustered a little closertogether, as though wishing to be ready for an attack, they knew therewas now nothing to fear.
Three minutes later and they were talking with the grizzled farmer, hisgood wife, a couple of girls, and the stout young hired help named Hiram,all of whom were fairly dazzled by the sight of eight khaki-clad youngfellows, some of whom carried shotguns, grouped in their dooryard.
Thad explained that they were a patrol of Boy Scouts from Cranford, on ahike, and not having tents along with them, made bold to ask the farmerif they might sleep in his haymow, and cook their supper in the openspace before the barns.
There was something inviting about Thad Brewster's manner that drew mostpeople toward him. That same farmer might have been tempted to say nounder ordinary conditions, for he looked like a severe man; but somehowhe was quite captivated by the manly appearance of these lads. Besides,he had doubtless read considerable about the activities of the scouts,and felt that the chance of hearing something concerning them at firsthand was too good to be lost.
"I ain't got the least objection to you boys sleeping in my hay, if youpromise me not to light matches, or do any smokin' there," he said.
"I'll look out for that, sir," replied Thad promptly, "and we all promiseyou that there will be no damage done from our staying over. We will wantto make a cooking fire somewhere, but it can be done at a safe distancefrom the barn, and to leeward, so that any sparks will go the other way."
"And if so be you could spare us a couple of chickens, mister," put inGiraffe, "we'd be glad to pay you the full market price; as also for anymilk or cream or eggs you'd let us have."
"Oh! you can fix that with the missus," returned the farmer; "she runsthat end of the farm. I look after the crops and the stock. Now, if youwanted a four-hundred-pound pig I've got a beauty to offer you."
"Thanks, awfully," returned Step Hen quickly, giving Giraffe, who was abig eater, a meaning look; "but I reckon we're well supplied in that wayalready."
Arrangements were quickly made with the farmer's wife, and under chargeof the willing Hiram, who never could get over staring at the uniforms ofthe scouts with envy in his pale eyes, some of the boys gave chase to acouple of ambitious young roosters that were trying their first crow on anearby fence, finally capturing and beheading the same.
Thad meanwhile accompanied the good woman to her dairy, and returned witha brimming bucket of morning's milk, as well as a pitcher of the thickestyellow cream any of them had ever gazed upon.
The girls brought out some fresh eggs, and altogether the sight of somuch riches caused Giraffe to smile all over.
Giraffe was the acknowledged leader when it came to making fires, andthat duty as a rule devolved upon him. He had made a particular study ofthe art, and in pursuing his hobby to the limits was able to get fire athis pleasure, whether he had a match or not. And in more than a few timesin the past this knowledge had proved very useful to the tall scout, asthe record in previous stories concerning the doings of the Silver FoxPatrol will explain.
Accordingly Giraffe had chosen to make a neat little fireplace out ofsmooth blocks of stone which happened to lie handy. This he had built atthe spot selected by Thad as perfectly safe; for what little wind therewas would blow the sparks in a direction where they could do no possibledamage.
When Hiram came back he forgot all about any chores that might bewaiting. Never before had he been given such a glorious chance to witnessthe smart doings of Boy Scouts. He observed everything Giraffe did whenhe made that cunning little out-of-doors cooking range, and noted thatwhile the double row of stones spread wide apart at one end, just so thebig frying pan would set across, they drew much closer at the otherterminus, like the letter V, so that the coffee pot could be laid therewithout spilling.
Then Giraffe started his fire. Hiram noticed how he picked certain kindsof wood from the abundant supply over at the chopping block. Giraffeliked to be in the lime light; and he was also an accommodating chap. Hesaw that the farmhand was intensely interested, as well as quite green atall such things; but the fact of his "wanting to know" was enough tostart the scout to imparting information.
So he told Hiram how certain kinds of wood are more suitable for cookingpurposes, since they make a fierce heat, and leave red ashes that holdfor a long time; and it is over such a bed that the best cooking can bedone, and not when there is more or less flame and smoke to interfere.
Allan and Davy had been very busy plucking the fowls during this time,while Bumpus busied himself getting some fresh water from the well nearby, and fixing the coffee ready to go on the fire when Giraffe gave theword that he was prepared.
One of the girls brought a loaf of fresh homemade bread, and a roll ofgenuine country butter that was as sweet as could be. Fancy with whatimpatience those boys waited while supper was being cooked. The odorsthat arose when the cut-up chicken was browning in the pan along withsome slices of salt pork, and the coffee steaming on one of the stonesalongside the fire, made a combination that fairly set several of thefellows wild, so that they had to walk away in order to controlthemselves.
Finally the welcome signal was given by Bumpus, and never had thosesilver notes of the "assembly" sounded sweeter in mortal ears than theydid that night in the barnyard of that Susquehanna farm, with the eightkhaki-clad scouts sitting on logs, and any other thing that offered, andevery inmate of the farmhouse gathered near by to watch operations.
They had a feast indeed, and there was plenty for every one and to spare.Indeed, Hiram had accepted the invitation of Giraffe to hold off supper,and join them, and the big fellow seemed to be enjoying his novelexperience vastly, if one could judge from the broad grin that never onceleft his rosy face.
After the meal was over they found seats, and as the fire sparkled andcrackled merrily Thad told them all that he possibly could about the aimsand ambitions of the scout movement. He found a very attentive andappreciative audience; and it was possible that seeds were planted in themind of Hiram on that occasion calculated to bear more or less good fruitlater on in his life.
Of course Thad had to explain to some extent why they were so far awayfrom home, and this necessitated relating the story about the old armyovercoat that had been turned over to a tramp through the desire of thejudge's second wife to get rid of it. Thad of course only went so far asto say that the judge mourned the loss of an article which he reallyvalued highly on account of its association with his only son's army lifeyears before; and he made out such a strong case that those who heard thestory could easily understand why the gentleman should wish to recoverthe garment again, if it were possible.
None of them could r
emember having seen any party wearing such a coat;and it would seem that if the hobo had passed along that way, he mighthave applied at the farmhouse for a meal, though the presence of the dogusually deterred those of his kind from bothering the good farm wife.
"Guess they've got the chalk mark on your gate post, mister," commentedStep Hen, when he heard this; "I've been told these hoboes leave signsall along the way for the next comer to read. Some places they say aregood for a square meal; then at another place you want to look sharp, forthe farmer's wife will ring pies on you that are guaranteed to break offa tooth in trying to bite 'em. Now, like as not there's a sign on yourpost that says: 'Beware of the dog; he's a holy terror!'"
"I hope there is," replied the farmer; "and if I knew what it was I'd seeit got on every post I own, for if there's one thing I hate it's a tramp.I've had my chickens stolen, my hogs poisoned, and my haymow out in thepasture burned twice by some of that worthless lot. They kind of know meby now, and that I ain't to be trifled with."
The evening passed all too quickly; and when Step Hen happened to mentionthat Bumpus was the possessor of a beautiful soprano voice of course thecountry girls insisted that he entertain them. Bumpus, as has beenremarked before, was an accommodating fellow, and he allowed himself tobe coaxed to sing one song after another, with all of them joining in thechorus, until he was too hoarse to keep it up. Then they spied his lovelysilver-plated bugle, and nothing would do but he must sound all the armycalls he knew, which added to the enjoyment considerably.
Taken in all, that was the most novel entertainment any of them had everexperienced; and especially those who lived in the lonely farmhouse. Itmust have been a tremendous and pleasant break in the monotony thatusually hangs like a pall upon all farm work. No wonder, Thad thought,all of them looked so happy when they were bidding the boys good night,and admitted that they had enjoyed the coming of the expedition greatly.
Hiram could not be "pried loose," as Giraffe said. He insisted on seeingall he could of these new and remarkable friends, and had announced hisintention of accompanying the scouts to the hay, and sleeping near them.
No one offered the least objection. Indeed, by this time, after such anexhausting march as they had been through since sun-up, all of them werepretty tired, and their one thought was to snuggle down in the hay, withtheir blankets wrapped around them, and get some sleep.
"Still cloudy and threatening," remarked Allen, as he and Thad took alast look around ere turning in.
"Yes, it's holding off in a queer way," replied the other, "but when itdoes hit us, look out for a downpour. I'd be glad if we ran on thatWandering George before the rain starts in, because it'll be hard gettingaround when the whole country is soaked and afloat."
"I'm told the river is already close to flood stage, owing to so muchsnow melting at headwaters," observed Allan.
"Yes, we had an unusual lot last winter, you remember; and when theweather turned actually hot a few days back it must have started the snowmelting at a furious rate. If we get a hard rain now there'll be awhopping big flood all along the Susquehanna this spring."
"Everything seems all right around here, doesn't it?" asked Allan, as hebent down over Giraffe's fireplace, with the caution of a hunter who knewhow necessary it always is to see that no glowing embers have beenforgotten that a sudden wind could carry off to cause a disastrousconflagration.
"I saw Giraffe throw some water over the coals," remarked Thad. "He lovesa fire better than anyone I know, but you never find him neglecting totake the proper precautions. Yes, it's cold to the touch. Let's hunt aplace to bunk for the night, Allan. With our blankets, a bed in the softhay ought to feel just prime."
Nine of them burrowed into the big haymow, with all sorts of merryremarks, and a flow of boyish badinage. Finally they began to get settledin their various nooks and the talking died down until in the end no onesaid a single word, and already Bumpus and perhaps several others beganto breathe heavily, thus betraying the fact that they had passed over theborder of dreamland.
Thad of course had more to think about than most of his mates, because,as the patrol leader, and head of the present expedition, he foundproblems to study out that did not present themselves to suchhappy-go-lucky fellows as Bumpus, Step Hen, Davy, and perhaps Giraffe. SoThad lay there for quite some time, thinking, and trying to lay out someplan of campaign to be followed in case the expected rain did strike thembefore they came up with the fugitive tramp.
It was very comfortable, and the hay was sweet-smelling, so that even thefastidious Smithy had not been heard to utter the least complaint, buthad burrowed with the rest. Possibly he may have swathed his face, aswell as his body, in the folds of his blanket, in order to prevent anyroving spider from carrying out the gypsy's evil prophecy; but if so noone knew it, since all of them but Allan and Thad had made separateburrows.
The young scout master remembered that his thoughts became confused, andthen he lost his grip on things.
It seemed to him that his dreams must be wonderfully vivid, for as hesuddenly struggled up to a sitting position he could fancy that he heardsome one calling at the top of his voice. Then shrill screams in girlishtones added to the clamor.
"What's that mean, Thad?" demanded Allan, as he clutched the arm of hischum, at the same time sitting up.
"I don't know," replied Thad shortly. "There must be something wrong upat the farmhouse. The other fellows are stirring now, so let's crawl outof this in a big hurry, Allan!"
Both scouts made all haste to escape from the tunnel under the hay,kicking their way to freedom. No sooner had they gained their feet thanthey started out of the barn, for the haymow was under the shelter of aroof.
Only too well did Thad know what was the matter, when he burst from thedoor of the barn, and saw that the darkness of the night was split by aglare from up in the direction of the farmhouse on the rise. Through thebare branches of the trees he could see tongues of flames.
"The house is on fire, Allan!" he shouted. "We must get all the boys out,and do what we can to fight the flames. Hi! everybody on deck--Giraffe,Step Hen, Davy, and the rest of you, hurry out here and lend a hand!You're wanted, and wanted badly into the bargain!"