Woodcraft: or, How a Patrol Leader Made Good

"I've been thinking of that, Red," he remarked, "and come to this conclusion. He must have heard voices, or else caught the sound of wheels over in that direction, for you see that he dropped down behind the bushes on the east side, showing the danger must have been to the west!"

All of the boys turned and stared in that quarter.

"Matty," said Elmer, "while the rest of us stay right here, suppose you start off directly west of this. Don't go out of sight; and unless my theory is all wrong you won't have to. Because I'll be mighty much surprised if you don't run across a road pretty quick!"

Of course Matty Eggleston made the utmost haste to comply with the directions of his chief. As leader of the Beaver Patrol he was decidedly interested in everything that pertained to woodcraft, and the way in which Elmer was showing the wonders of the forest trailer's art captivated him.

The rest of the scouts stood there, all eyes following the form of their companion as he made his way between the trees, avoiding such bushes as impeded his forward movements.

Would he find that the supposition of the trail follower was correct? Was there a road so close to them, hidden by the thick undergrowth?

Suddenly Matty whirled around. He made a gesture that told of delight almost beyond his ability to express. And then they heard his shout.

"Here's your old road, Elmer, I declare if it ain't, just as you said!"

"Bully for Elmer!" exclaimed the impulsive Red.

"Say, you've been up in this region before, haven't you, Elmer?" asked Phil Dale, who seemed to be the "Doubting Thomas" of the little flock; for these were things so remarkable he must believe the scout-master knew beforehand, or else was playing a practical joke on his comrades.

"Never in all my life," replied Elmer, and Phil believed him; then elevating his voice the leader called out: "Go on, and get to the road, Matty. I want you to take a look, and tell me if you can see the marks of rubber tires there in the mud or dust."

A minute later and the other shouted back:

"Just as sure as you live, fellows, I've found the marks where a car rushed past. Must have gone at a pretty sharp clip, too, because it sent the mud flying from this little depression here."

"Let's get over there with Matty," remarked Elmer. "We can come back here afterward and take up the trail again."

Two minutes later and the scouts stood on the road. It was only a country road, and not a general thoroughfare. Few vehicles passed during the day, and apparently it must be a sort of connecting link between turnpikes that ran parallel.

"The car was going in the same direction we are headed," announced Elmer, after looking at the marks.

"Well, I'll be blessed if I can see how you found that out," declared Phil, as he shook his head and looked puzzled.

"Oh! nothing could be more simple," declared Elmer. "In a case of this kind all a scout has to do is to keep his wits about him, and look sharp. Now, just as Matty guessed that this car was hitting up a pretty good pace when it went past, because it threw the soft mud to some little distance when it dashed through this puddle, so I examine some of the splashes on the leaves here by the roadside. And as you see, fellows, they are, without a single exception, all on this one side of leaves and the trunks of these close-by trees. Do you get on now, Phil?"

"Well, I declare, you are a wonder, Elmer Chenowith!" exclaimed the other, as his face lighted up. "I used to think it was only guesswork, this reading tracks; but now I can see that it's all figured out just like you'd get an algebra problem in school. Given one thing, and the other must follow dead sure. Of course that car was going north! It couldn't be anything else, because these mud splashes are every one on the south side of the leaves and trees."

"Well, this has been an eye-opener to me, fellows!" declared Landy, earnestly. "And I give you fair notice right now that I'm going to know a heap more about this fine business before I've been long in the Beaver Patrol."

"I say, Elmer, do you mean to tell us this car which Dolph heard coming, and hid to escape being seen – that it was the one we saw start out for Cramertown?" asked Red.

"No, it couldn't have been, for a good many reasons. That car didn't leave the cottage of Mrs. Gruber till just before we did, and that was plumb nine. You remember, I think I proved by the rain token, that Dolph was here at seven. So it must have been another car entirely – perhaps some people going to Rockaway or Hickory Ridge, and in a hurry. But Dolph, hearing them coming, and being afraid by reason of his guilt, hid behind the bushes, and, I imagine, must have clapped a hand over little Ruth's mouth. If the men in the machine heard a child's cry they might want to jump out and investigate, and Dolph wasn't going to take any chances."

"All this is mighty interesting, Elmer," said Mark; "and we think you've proved every point you made. What comes next on the program?"

"Back to the trail, and keep right along. Sooner or later I expect we're going to run this scoundrel to earth and make a prisoner of him. But he's got several hours' start of us yet," Elmer replied, leaving the road that had told them so much, and aiming once more for the clump of bushes where the impression of Dolph's two knees could be so plainly seen.

"But unless he's a regular trotter he ain't going to keep on the go long," remarked Lil Artha, confidently.

"Not much," declared Ted Burgoyne. "You thee, he's got that little girl along, and it thtands to reason Ruth ith about played out right here. Tho, fellows, the chances are Dolph he'll have to just pick her up and carry her. And with thuch a load why he'll thoon get tired and camp. That's where we'll have the hunch on him."

"Yes," Elmer went on, "I quite agree with Ted there, and expect that before another hour at least we'll run on our game."

Once more, then, he led the way, with an interested and enthusiastic bunch of scouts trailing close at his heels.

Frequently there would arise little problems that had to be solved. Now it was an apparent absence of marks, showing that the ground had grown more rocky, and no footprint appeared. Then again, Dolph followed a worn trail, so that it was necessary to make sure he stuck to this.

Elmer was equal to each and every demand upon his knowledge. When none of the other boys could discover a sign of tracks, he pointed out to where a stone had been overturned since the little shower had passed; or it might be calling their attention to a broken twig, a bruised leaf that had been trodden on, or in various other ways proved his point, as was made clear when a little later they would again run upon the footprints left by Dolph.

They had now come quite some distance, and a few of the fellows were showing signs of wishing to rest up for a brief interval. Elmer himself could stand any amount of fatigue without giving way, but there were untrained muscles among the scouts; and after all it was not so vital that they rush things.

"Here, let's rest for ten minutes or so, fellows," he remarked, as they came to a little bluff about fifteen or twenty feet in height, at the foot of which the trail seemed to run.

The boys threw themselves down on the ground, some of them glad of the chance to recuperate without having to show the white feather. It was very thoughtful of the leader, to be sure, displaying this regard for their natural pride.

"He sure can't be a great ways from here, Elmer?" remarked Matty. "Seems to me the trail has been growing fresher lately."

"That's right, it has," replied the other, nodding his head. "One place I found where Dolph had rested, I don't know how long, but perhaps half an hour; for the child walked again after they started, as if refreshed by the stop."

"Then we're apt to run on them any old time now?" suggested Toby, eagerly.

"Just what we are," Elmer answered, as he kept his face turned upward toward the top of the little bluff overhead.

"What you looking at, Elmer?" demanded Red Huggins, half starting up.

"Just cast your eyes up where that clump of grass grows, fellows," the leader said, pointing his finger; "I thought I saw something moving there, and – "

What he meant to say remained unspoken, for just then a slice of the edge of the bluff suddenly gave way, and amid a mass of earth a human figure came rolling down the sharp incline!

CHAPTER X.

GIVING MATT TUBBS A CHANCE

"Whoop! it's that Dolph, fellows!" cried Red, jumping to his feet, and showing signs of being prepared to fight if necessary; though scouts are supposed to resort to such methods only in cases of absolute necessity, and then generally in defense of some one weaker than themselves.

"Look at him turning somersaults, would you?" shouted Landy.

"Oh! my stars, what a header! He'll break his neck, sure!" exclaimed Toby.

The tumbling figure, with arms and legs flying every which way, landed in a heap close beside the bunch of startled scouts, every one of whom was now erect, and observing the dusty intruder with staring eyes.

"Wow! look at him, fellows! We've sure seen that gent before!" said Red, as the unfortunate spy sat up, and dug his knuckles into his eyes as if to clear them of the dust.

His nose was bleeding more or less, and he showed other signs of rough treatment; but apparently he had not been seriously hurt by his fall.

"It's Matt Tubbs!" remarked Elmer, with a smile, as though after all he was not so very much astonished at the phenomenon.

"Say, however did that chump get here?" demanded Toby.