CHAPTER XI
THE NEW PROJECT
"Well, how does it strike you, Spike,---this idea of a summerschool?" inquired Cooper Fennimore the next morning as the Foxescame back from their early dip in the lake.
"Um,---well," replied Spike slowly, rubbing his chin as he had seenold men do when in deep thought, "how does it strike you?"
"Ex-actly right, now that I've thought it all over," respondedCooper. "At first I was enthusiastic because the Lieutenant wasand because the rest took it up like wild-fire.
"Then, last night after the camp was quiet, I began to think itlooked like all work and no play; like a pretty strenuous vacationafter months of hard study, you know!" Cooper looked at spike andgravely winked.
"Oh, yes, you old fraud!" jeered spike, poking his chum in the ribs."We all know that you are almost worn out with mental application!"
"But, finally," continued Cooper, doubling up slightly at thefriendly nudge but giving no further attention to the interruption,"finally, I concluded that if my health could stand the strain, Iwould like nothing better than this nice stiff little course inground work."
"'Ground work,' eh? Look here, Cooper, it is too early in the dayto attempt a pun."
"Pun? Not at all," Cooper retorted. "Don't you know my presentambition? _To-day_---whatever my aspiration may be to-morrow---_to-day_I mean to fit myself for architecture and landscape gardening.And when in the misty future you see the name of Architect CooperFennimore, Adviser in Extra-ordinary to the President-----"
Cooper darted into the Fox-Otter cabin as Spike dashed at himagain, and continued:
"------_then_ you will remember when you studied the ground workof his profession with him!"
Their conversation was resumed a little later, when, rubbed down,clothed, and neatly brushed, the two boys responded to the mess call.
"But say, Cooper," said Spike, "were you in earnest about likingthe summer school scheme and wanting to be a landscape artist?"
"I surely was, were, and am," replied Cooper, as the boys slippedinto their places. "I've been watching my uncle-in-law builda house and lay out his grounds, and if I couldn't hit on a betterplan than his, I'd-----"
"Dig a hole, crawl in, and pull the hole after you?" prompted Spikeas Cooper paused for a comparison.
"Just about," agreed the other; and then both boys found theirnearest ambitions fully met by the camp cook's incomparable baconand eggs.
After breakfast the news was quickly circulated that no further planswere to be divulged until afternoon and that the boys were free tocontinue their baseball practice.
Soon by twos and three and fours, with balls, bats, and gloves, thescouts drifted over to the diamond.
"I'm mighty glad that you are in for all this study course that'scoming, Ralph," said Torn Sherwood as they sauntered along.
"So am I," responded Ralph promptly. "It is more than kind ofLieutenant Denmead to ask me to remain for it. I shan't feel sogreen when I go to the School of Mines, you know, either, for thisMr. Thayer is a graduate and I can learn a lot from him. Then itmeans so much to be with you fellows! It has been a lonely placeon the farm sometimes!"
"I can believe that," agreed Arthur Cameron, who had joined the boysand overheard their conversation. "Just the few days I was outthere showed me what it might be."
"Come on, fellows!" urged Dick Bellamy, swinging two bats in largecircles as though they were Indian clubs. "We're going to beatour best records to-day, you know!"
All this interested Ralph Kenyon immensely and for a few weekshis concern for his own personal affairs was merged with the pleasuresand the novelty of the life in camp. Often he wished that hehad more time to spend with these boys, who welcomed him to theirfellowship, although he was not even a tenderfoot, with heartygood will and friendliness. Whatever Ralph did, work or play,he did with all his heart. He entered into the games and recreations"for all he was worth," and won the regard of his companions.
His ability as a ballplayer was no less of a surprise to them than itwas to himself, for he had not played ball since his junior year inhigh school. His pitching proved to be clever and varied, his deliveryof the horsehide sphere being as good as Tom Sherwood's---which is nofaint praise.
Early that same afternoon the boys learned that the schedule promisedby the Scout Master was posted on the wall of his cabin, and thatAssistant Rawson had been dispatched to Oakvale for the supplieslisted in Ransom Thayer's outline for study and practice.
"The notice says that Mr. Thayer will begin work, with us at nineo'clock sharp next Monday morning," announced Don Miller of the Foxes.
He had already seen the bulletin and made some inquiries of LieutenantDenmead, in order to coach his patrol more intelligently.
"Are there any 'points' for knowledge of trees and plants?" askedShorty McNeil.
"I didn't read everything carefully, Shorty," replied Don, "but I doremember the word 'vegetation.' Maybe that will cover your specialty."
"I hope so," was the earnest rejoinder. "I can't do anything withthe mathematical end of this stunt, I tell you right now. Butleaves, and flowers, and different kinds of bark!---they are aseasy to read as print! And I would like to bring in a point ortwo for our patrol."
At this moment Walter Osborne approached, walking rapidly from thedirection of headquarters.
"Hullo, Don," he called. "Have you seen the schedule? Great, isn'tit? Brings in about all our scoutcraft up to date!"
Walter hurried on, scarcely waiting to hear Don's reply in hiseagerness to overtake Blake Merton.
"I say, Blake," he began enthusiastically on reaching the fellow-hawk,"do you know that this geological survey is going to give us finetraining in signaling? I hadn't realized it before, but maybe youhave, because of your experience over at Ralph's."
"Yes, I was interested in the simple system the railroad men used,"Blake responded. "It is an eye and hand language worth learning."
"Well, I confess that I know nothing about it. And I didn't pickup much from the work we had here while you were away. With allcredit to the Lieutenant, he does not know the practical side ofgeological surveying, and while he interested us all, he did notgive us the real stuff that we shall get with Mr. Thayer."
"True for you," responded Blake. "All the fellows felt that wayafter the tests last night, I guess. Those questions showed themhow few facts they had really learned. It was not hard for Bud andme, because we have both had experience before now."
Meanwhile Bud Morgan himself was in the midst of a group of eagerWolves.
"You must coach us, Bud," Arthur Cameron said. "We shall miss Hughand Billy in this, but you must see that they hear a good report ofus when it is over."
"That's right," agreed the other boys.
"Let's make Bud Morgan our patrol leader until Hugh comes back," criedlittle Jack Durham, the recruit of last season.
"All in favor?" yelled Arthur. "Hands up!"
Hands and voices rose together and a united "_How-ooo-ooo_!"rent the air.
"All right, fellows, I'll do my best," said Bud Morgan as the noisestopped. "I'll try to act in Hugh's place, just as Tom Sherwoodis doing for Alec, if you will all stand by!"
"We will," promised the boys.
"Then listen! Mr. Thayer is going to put us through a big coursein a little time. We shan't like all the work, perhaps, but weshall each like something,---for it touches so many things. Thereare the long tramps in the fresh air, the measuring of distances,the analyzing of the soil, the naming of the trees and plants,the locating of mineral deposits, and the working out of problems."
Bud paused for breath, holding one hand poised with fingers outspread,just as he had been counting them off as so many points to note.
"Now, then," he continued, "it's up to us to listen and learn,---andto beat the other fellows to it!"
"_How-ooo-ooo_!" came an approving chorus.
At that moment a distant squealing told that the Otters were waxingenthusiastic, a
lso. Down by the pier at the lakeside, Tom Sherwoodhad gathered his patrol,---to which Ralph Kenyon had been added forthe period of his visit.
Tom had just been explaining some facts that he had learned whilewith the surveyors on Ralph's farm, and even Buck Winter had showna responsive interest.
Dick Bellamy, as usual, was keenly alive to the prospects in store,foreseeing plenty of fun as well as work.
"I'll tell you one thing, fellows," he began.
"And that's not two," interrupted Sam Winter impudently.
"Somebody, please put the lid on that youngster a minute," continuedDick, looking at Sam in well-assumed indignation. "As I was saying,---orabout to say,---I have often wished that I knew more about thequeer formations along the banks of rivers where I have gone onfishing trips. My father has always had a good deal to say about'erosion,' and 'glacial periods' and 'stratification' and 'naturalboundaries,' and I shall feel mighty proud to go back home knowinga few of 'them things,' as Injun Joe would say."
This was an unusually serious speech from the imaginative andsometimes irrepressible Dick, and the boys were correspondinglymoved by it.
"Oh, if it is like _that_," acknowledged Sam Winter, in a differenttone of voice than he had previously used, "we-----"
"We will all want to do our best," finished his brother. "I haveoften wondered about the same things on my tramps after photographsof animals. I've come across lots of queer formations and odd rocksand natural caves and things."
As Buck ended his remarks a little lamely, Bud Morgan hastened to say,"You fellows have the idea now,---and mark my word: the Otters aregoing to win out!"