"I guess I'll just have to, sir," replied the boy, also smiling now.

"Then you found a trail, did you?"

"Yes, sir," Elmer went on, "a positive one; though the ground was that hard a greenhorn could never have seen it. And while Chatz kept at my side I don't think he dreamed what I was doing as we went along. Then, about a hundred yards away I heard that same queer 'woof' he spoke of."

"It didn't give you a shock, I warrant, Elmer?" remarked the scout master.

"Well, you see, sir, I've had too much to do with cattle not to recognize the snort of a startled cow! And that was what we saw just ahead of us. She had been lying down, chewing her cud, and our coming had caused her to get on her feet."

"Did she happen to have a white face, Elmer?" laughed Mr. Garrabrant.

"Just what she did, sir," the boy replied. "Chatz looked at me, and turned pale, then red; after which he laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks. I think we put quite a spoke in his spook wheel, sir. He won't be so ready to believe in supernatural visitors after this."

"It was well done, Elmer, and I thank you for it. Now, let's to breakfast, for we have a strenuous day before us," and the scout master led the way to the place where a bounteous meal had been spread for the entire troop of scouts.

During the morning the swimming tests were started, and Mr. Garrabrant, who was a splendid swimmer himself, took charge of matters. Some excellent work was done, and the timid ones taught how to strike out, to float, and to tread water, as well as various races inaugurated that were full of fun.

After that came the wonderful fishing contest, where the boys did what they could to land one of their mates who played the part of a hooked fish, fighting to get away, just as a monster scaly prize like a tarpon might have done.

Of course Elmer was the leader in this game, for he had had much more experience as a sportsman than any of the rest, but there were several who proved themselves good seconds in the trial, and who would make the winner look to his laurels in the near future.

That brought them to noon, and matters were allowed to simmer while they got busy cooking a lunch to satisfy the tremendous appet.i.tes that the vigorous labor of the morning had developed.

Ted and Lil Artha expected to take a tramp over to the lone cabin during the afternoon. They could not start, however, until the concluding work of the day had been attended to. As this was to be "first aid to the injured" the presence of the only budding doctor in camp would be required, in order to explain many important things connected with this valuable adjunct to scout lore.

It was possibly nearly three o'clock before the two lads got started.

But that did not matter much, for by this time Ted had become very familiar with the way of the blazed trail, and could follow it "with his eyes blindfolded," as he boastingly remarked, though Elmer knew this was hardly so.

Some of the scouts were out on the lake, trying to coax a mess of fish to come closer to the fire and get warmed up. The taste of browned trout haunted them, and even Mr. Garrabrant admitted that the way Elmer cooked the fish, they were finer than any he had ever eaten. It was to have the salt pork in a hot frying pan, until it had been well tried out, then having rolled each fish in cracker crumbs, or corn meal if the former were not handy, they were placed over the fire in the pan to brown.

Another time Elmer broiled the fish, and the boys were uncertain as to which method they liked most. When they ate the trout cooked one way that excelled, and next day when the other method was tried they believed it could not be equalled.

Evening was not far away when a shout attracted the attention of all those in camp. Even the few who happened to be inside the tents came hurrying out to see what it meant.

"That must have been Lil Artha," declared Elmer immediately. "n.o.body else has so loud a whoop. Yes, there they come, he and Ted, hurrying down the side of the mountain. They seem to be in something of a hurry, too."

"And look at Ted waving his hand, will you?" exclaimed Toby, beginning to get excited himself. "He wouldn't act that way, fellers, except that there's something gone wrong. Gee! I hope now the old man ain't been taken sudden, and handed in his checks! That would be tough on the kids, now!"

Mr. Garrabrant heard what Toby said, but made no remark. He was waiting for the coming of the two scouts who had gone across the mountain on their errand of mercy.

The long-legged Lil Artha could have easily outrun his comrade had he chosen, but he made no effort to do so. Still, as they drew closer, it could be easily seen that both boys showed unmistakable evidences of some tremendous excitement. And, naturally, their fellow scouts almost trembled with eagerness to learn what could have happened to affect them in this way.

Three minutes later and they drew up in front of the group, panting, flushed--their eyes sparkling with suppressed news.

CHAPTER XIII.

TAKEN BY SURPRISE.

"IWHAT'S the matter with you boys?" demanded the scout master, as Ted and Lil Artha drew up in front of him.

"They've come in on Abe, sir, and are threatening to do all sorts of awful things to him, the great beasts!" exclaimed the tall runner, between pants.

"Speak plainer, please," Mr. Garrabrant said, sternly, so as to subdue some of the rampant excitement that threatened to impede a clear flow of words. "Who came in on Abe--was it animals you meant, or men?"

"Men, thir, and two of the toughest you ever thaw," Ted managed to declare. "They were eating up all the stuff we've been at such pains to carry over, and threatened the thick man with all thorts of trouble because he thaid he didn't have thuch a thing as a drop of whisky in hith place."

"Two hoboes, most likely," muttered the scout master, as his firm teeth came together with a snap that meant business.

"That's what I thaid, thir, but Lil Artha, he theemed to think he recognized the bullies as a couple of jail birds," Ted went on.

"You see, sir," Arthur spoke up as he saw Mr. Garrabrant look questioningly at him, "I remembered seeing the pictures of those two rascals that broke into some house near Rockaway last Spring. They had it posted up in police headquarters at Hickory Ridge when I went in to pay for our dog license. And I don't soon forget faces, sir, or names either, for that matter. Unless I miss my guess these two ugly scamps were Jim Rowdy and Bill Harris, wanted bad in Rockville, with a reward offered for their capture."

"You may be right, Theodore," observed the scout master, seriously.

"They were never caught, I remember. The strange thing about it was, that the house they entered and robbed was that of my friend, Colonel Hitchens."

"The same gentleman who owned the lost monkey?" cried one of the scouts.

"Exactly. But this is a serious matter for us, boys," the scout master went on. "Our new friends are in danger, for there can be no telling to what extremes such unprincipled scoundrels might go, once they started.

Perhaps they may have an old grudge against Abe, for the boys say they were threatening him. And it gives me a cold chill to think of these two innocent children being in their power."

"Will you go over, thir, and try to do thomething?" asked Ted, eagerly.

"Surely," came the instant reply. "I would be unworthy to call myself a man if I failed in my duty there. But tell us more, please, how did you first learn of the presence of these ruffians there, and did you give away the fact that you had discovered them?"

"Oh! no, thir, they didn't thee us a bit!" exclaimed Ted.

"We happened to hear loud voices, you see, sir, when we were close to the joint," said Arthur, bent on having his share in the recital.

"Tho we crept up, as thly as any Indian could have done," added Ted.

"And peeked in at the window, just like we did that night we went over in a bunch," the tall lad remarked.

"Then we thaw what it meant," Ted continued, catching his breath again.

"Those two big bullies had been eating, and made poor Little Lou cook nigh everything we left there yesterday. Why, they were as hungry as hogs, I guess."

"And they kept on shaking their fists at poor Abe, who was lying on his cot, too weak to do anything," Lil Artha took up the narrative. "He seemed to be atryin' to get them to let up on him, but he looked nearly done for."

"Then we just crawled away again," Ted concluded, "and run pretty near all the way back, because we knew you would want uth to report. Lil Artha wanted to tackle 'em by ourselves, but it was thilly to think we could do anything against a pair of desperate jailbirds like that."

"Under the circ.u.mstances I commend your discretion, Theodore," said the scout master, "though the readiness of Arthur to take chances in a good cause does him credit too. But let's hurry and eat supper. I can be arranging my plans meanwhile, and selecting those I would want to accompany me over the mountain."

"I hope you will take me, sir!" exclaimed Matty Eggleston.

"And me, too, sir!" exclaimed half a dozen others, in a breath.