Storm-Bound: or, A Vacation Among the Snow Drifts

"No, I prefer to take it," the owner of the cabin replied; "in fact, as a rule I have slept on the cot winters, because I can pull it up in front of the fire on nights that are particularly bitter."

"You must get some howlers up here, sir, I should think," suggested Elmer.

"Along in January we often have a terrible storm or blizzard, when it's utterly unsafe to venture outside the door, because one can never see ten feet away. Men have been found frozen to death close to their own cabins, which they did not dream were so close by when they gave up in despair. The storm that just visited us was pretty severe, but not to be compared with some I have seen."

"George, take your pick of bunks," said Elmer.

Perhaps he allowed George to have the first say because of the other's notorious habit of grumbling; the wise scout master did not want to give him any chance to complain that he had not been treated fairly and squarely.

Now George was not so greedy but that he could feel ashamed. He seemed to scent the true reason why Elmer was so kind, for a flush came over his face, and he actually shook his head in a decided negative.

"That isn't just fair to the rest, Elmer, and I won't have it," he said, with a show of spirit. "The bunks are all built alike, but one may be better than the others, 'specially of a cold night. Now I tell you how we'll fix that up fine and dandy; I'll mark them by numbers up to four; then I'll write that many on pieces of paper and we'll put them in a hat. Each one draws one out, and in that way gets his bunk without any favoritism being shown. What d'ye say to that, Elmer?"

"Just as you like, George; and I want to tell you I admire the independent spirit you display when you refuse to be favored above the rest. That's the right way to show what you're made of. It speaks well for the regard you have toward others."

While Elmer was saying this George drew out a lead pencil stub and made a figure on the front of each bunk, running from one to four. Then he did the little numbering on as many small squares of paper torn from his notebook. These latter he threw into a hat and held it so no one could look in, though a hand might be inserted through the small opening.

"Elmer, you draw first!" George went on to say, as he held the hat out to each one of the others in turn.

So the scout master accommodated him, and found that he had hit upon one of the lower bunks. Toby got the upper, and Lil Artha drew the other elevated bed; so that after all George was given the pick of the lot. No one could ever begrudge him his good luck, now that he had shown such a fair spirit.

"It hit me about right," admitted Lil Artha, as he stood up alongside the wall, and flung his blanket inside the second upper bunk, "because Nature always intended that I should nest high, when She gave me this pair of stilts. Lucky you made the bunks over six feet long, Uncle Caleb, or I'd never have been able to turn over without drawing my knees up to my chin. It gives me a pain whenever I think that I may go on stretching out for nearly four years yet. My folks think of cutting the doors higher in our house. They get tired of seeing me duck my head every time I come into a room."

A fire was soon built up in the open space under the chimney flue which the cunning wildcat had used as a means for entering and leaving the cabin. At the time there happened to be little heat among the ashes, for the owner was averse to leaving a fire when he went away for hours, lest he return only to find a blackened heap where his cabin with its many precious treasures had stood.

It was like a picnic to cook when there were so many conveniences, and Lil Artha, who insisted on helping George, called attention to the excellent iron frame which was intended to be placed over the fire, and serve to hold such cooking vessels as were needed in the preparation of the meal.

Besides this there was a portable oven which made splendid biscuits and bread, as the boys learned later on, when Uncle Caleb showed them how he lived while keeping bachelor's hall alone in that wilderness, days, weeks and months at a time. He had a small barrel of flour in his storeroom, with such a collection of canned goods and dried as well as smoked meats, that George declared it looked like a young grocery store to him; and privately admitted that he would not care very much if they had been booked to stay the balance of the winter with Uncle Caleb, instead of just a few days. He could see all manner of "good times" in that delightful storeroom collection.

They had a light lunch, as the old scientist usually preferred to eat his one heavy meal in the evening, after his thinking was done for the day.

"Make yourselves quite at home, boys," he told them, with a sincerity that even skeptical George could not question; "everything I have is at your disposal. You will find hosts of things to interest you among my collection of curios, and the myriads of pictures I have taken the last seven years. Some of them have been honored by being published in a geographic magazine, and excited considerable interest among a certain class of scientists. I'm ready to answer every question you can ask, and it will give me the greatest pleasure imaginable to be of service to you. All I seek in return is full confidence; you must tell me all about what scouts do, and learn, and aim to accomplish; also what adventures you may have encountered in carrying out these organization principles."

During the rest of that never-to-be-forgotten afternoon the boys manifested no desire to wander through the white forest, but stayed indoors looking at the many interesting things owned by Uncle Caleb, many of which he had picked up in various quarters and corners of the world, for he had been a famous traveler in his day.

They almost talked themselves hoarse, asking questions, and explaining all about what duties and obligations a boy takes upon his shoulders when he subscribes to the scout promise, and assumes the responsibilities accompanying such a service.

Uncle Caleb had about everything that money could purchase in connection with his photographic fad; and among other things a daylight tank for developing the films.

As he was very anxious to find out whether the snapshots taken of the wildcat on the cabin chimney would turn out to be worth anything, he proceeded to develope the films that afternoon.

When he held them up after washing, and let the boys see the result they were loud in their declarations that he had really done himself proud.

There was the one with the big cat crouching on the chimney-top, and giving all the detail that could be desired. The other was not quite so clear, but it seemed that he must have aimed the camera just right, and pressed the button while the leaping animal was in midair, just crumpling up under the two charges of shot received from separate quarters. This last was a thrilling picture, and ought to make a fine print.

"They'll be a splendid addition to my collection," Uncle Caleb told the boys, as he surveyed his prizes with kindling eyes; "I've got a good many strange pictures but I expect these will top the list. I'll print a copy for each one of you to carry home when you go, because in a measure that is your cat, as well as mine."

Taken in all, they would never be apt to forget that same afternoon. Their genial host seemed to be so delighted to have such a wideawake pack of boys up there with him, that he could not do too much for them. Many were the yarns he spun connected with his nomadic life under different suns; and since settling down to this peculiar state of existence he had known a multitude of adventures, both great and small.

"Right now," he told them, as the afternoon light began to fade with the drawing near of the time for sunset, "you might say I am a marked man; not that it gives me any great amount of concern, because I hardly believe that Zack Arnold will ever get his courage up to the sticking point, and attempt to carry out the wild threats he made against me."

"I remember hearing a man speaking that name on the train when we were nearing your station, Uncle!" exclaimed Toby; "he talked as though the fellow might be a sort of woods guide, though a tough rascal feared by every one, even the game wardens, who were afraid to try and arrest him for shooting game out of season."

"All of which is about as true as it can be," was the reply. "Six months ago I had the misfortune to run foul of this same Zack. He was even then half under the influence of liquor, and very abusive. I could have stood it for myself, but when the big brute raised his hand, and knocked down a half-grown girl who had chanced to stumble, and fall against him, in the store, it was too much for my blood."

"You gave him what he deserved, didn't you, Uncle?" demanded the exultant Toby.

"Well, I knocked him down three times in succession, for he had come at me with a knife the second and third times. After that he lay there, and was counted out. Now I was never proud of having upset a brawling bully like that when half-seas over, but it had to be done to pay him for striking that poor child. I heard afterwards that he was furious at me, and vowed he would get even, if he had to come all the way up here to where I held out, and settle his debt."

The boys exchanged looks.

"But he might take a sudden notion to visit you, when feeling in a particularly ugly mood, Uncle," Toby remarked, soberly, "and no one would ever know who had set your cabin on fire, and perhaps burned you in the same."

"Well, I thought of that and for a time never went outside these walls without carrying a gun along; but months have passed, and he does not show up, which I take it means he is too big a coward to risk his ears trying to do me an ill turn. And of late I've neglected any of those precautions. When first I saw my fox trap had been tampered with, and that valuable prize taken, I thought of what Zack Arnold had sworn, and was sure it must be his work. But let's forget about such an unpleasant subject, and have a little music for a change."

It seemed that among his many other accomplishments Uncle Caleb was something of a musician; that is, he loved music, and could play very well on a banjo, as well as on a guitar. The boys had found this out, through Toby, and looked forward to having good times listening to their genial host during evenings, as they sat before a crackling fire, and cared not for the weather without.

It was getting pretty sharp again, as George announced after coming in with an armful of wood; but little they cared, with such comfortable quarters, and plenty to eat in the family cupboard.

As if to dismiss an unpleasant subject from his mind Uncle Caleb started in to amuse his young guests with various popular selections, most of which the scouts knew as well as they did their own names. From these he presently drifted to older airs from the operas, and sentimental serenades that afforded the boys considerable pleasure. In the end he played a few such favorites as "Home, Sweet Home," with so much effect that he had one or two of them secretly winking rapidly in order to keep the tears from filling their eyes.

"Come, we've had enough of this for the present," said the player, suddenly, on catching sight of Toby blowing his nose with great vehemence, "and as it's getting dark outside, suppose we start our preparations for supper. I've got a few wrinkles I'd like to show you, although I rather expect some of you boys will turn out such good cooks that you'll make my little efforts look primitive."

All the same they did not. Uncle Caleb excelled in nearly everything he undertook, from science, music, and photographing wild animals in their native haunts, all the way down to cookery – perhaps George and Toby and Lil Arthur might object to using that word, and on their own account say "up to cookery."

At any rate he certainly gave the scouts a supper they would not soon forget; and they admitted in private afterwards that they must look to their laurels if they did not want to be considered "back numbers." Uncle Caleb had done his own cooking for a good many years, and being of an investigating turn of mind, had not been content to go along beaten paths, like most bachelors left to their own devices, but had studied cook-books, and made a success of many fine recipes.

After the meal was over, and things cleaned up, they gathered before the burning logs, and looked forward to an enjoyable evening. Every one was to have a part in entertaining the company, with story or song, as the case might be; and Elmer had a long list of questions which he wanted answers for, mostly pertaining to the habits of the little woods and swamps animals in which Uncle Caleb had become so vitally interested.

Before they could get fully settled down, however, there was a shuffling sound heard at the door, and then came a hesitating sort of knock from without.

CHAPTER XIII

THE OBJECT LESSON

"Wasn't that a knock?" asked George, who apparently had not heard the sound so plainly as the others.

"Seemed like it to me," replied Toby, "but say, neighbors can't be so plenty up here in the woods, to have one running in after supper for enough coffee to last over breakfast. P'raps, after all, it was only a limb scraping against the roof; or a squirrel up in the loft huntin' nuts Uncle's laid away."

"It is some one at the door!" remarked the owner of the cabin, quietly.

Elmer saw him getting to his feet. There was a sparkle in the eyes of Uncle Caleb; and his jaw seemed set in a determined way. This suddenly caused Elmer to remember what had been recently told about the tough hard-drinking guide who believed he had a grudge against the old scientist – Uncle Caleb.

"Let me go to the door for you, Uncle Caleb," said Elmer, hurriedly.

"It is my cabin, son, and therefore my duty to answer any summons," was the steady reply of the old gentleman; "so please stay where you are, unless I need any assistance."

"Great governor! what if it should be that man?" Lil Artha was heard to mutter as he reached out a hand, and clutched his own Marlin, which chanced to be standing in a corner conveniently near by.