CHAPTER XVI.

THE LAST FLICKERING CAMP FIRE DIES OUT.

"ITHERE'S the outpost making signals, Elmer," said Mark, about three o'clock in the afternoon.

Two of the scouts, who were pretty well up in wigwag work, had been dispatched to a k.n.o.b part way up the mountain, from which a fine view of the lower lake could be obtained, as well as the zigzag course of the connecting Paradise Creek.

"Looks like they must have sighted our scout master, then," declared Elmer, as he left what he was engaged in doing to hasten over to where the balance of the signal flags lay.

s.n.a.t.c.hing one up he began to wave it in certain eccentric movements which Red Huggins, who held the book, knew to be a query as to what the outposts or videttes had discovered.

"There! he's starting to answer. Everybody watch sharp, and write down what you make it!" exclaimed the scout leader.

Pencils and paper had been made ready, though most of the scouts carried small note books in which they entered such things as they wished to preserve.

For some little time they watched each deliberate motion of the distant waving flag, no one saying a word. When finally the sign was given that the message had reached its end, every scout started to scribble at hot speed.

Then Elmer walked along the line, examining the various records.

"Pretty well done," he said after he had completed his examination, "but of course it was the easiest of tests, for we all felt sure the report would be that they were in sight. They are crossing Jupiter Lake right now. That means they will be with us inside of an hour and a half, for Ginger is rowing stoutly, Matty says, and Mr. Eggleston seems to be getting ready to take the second pair of oars himself for the pull up Paradise Creek, which you may remember is no cinch, fellows."

"That's right," declared Larry Billings, rubbing his arm, the muscles of which had been more or less sore ever since that strain.

"It's going to be a long hour and a half," said Jasper Merriweather.

"Oh! rats, just go and play with the monkey, to kill time," laughed Lil Artha.

"I'm just wild to see what Ginger does when we take him to meet his 'debble,'" observed Toby, who had of course been hovering over that magical balloon pretty much all the morning; indeed, so long as that was around they could hardly get the ambitious amateur aviator to do anything worth while.

"Somebody coming back yonder; I saw 'em flit past that open place,"

remarked Nat Scott, pointing upward.

"Yes, that's Ted and Chatz, returning from the lone cabin. They promised to be back early, because they didn't want to miss the fun when Ginger came," declared the scout leader.

Within the next half hour not only did Ted and his companion arrive, but the two videttes and signal men reached camp. Having discharged the duty to which they had been a.s.signed, Matty Eggleston and Jack Armitage had lost no time in heading once more down the mountain.

Now an hour had gone, and the half was pa.s.sing slowly. All eyes were turned down the lake to the spot where the creek began, antic.i.p.ating seeing the boat shoot into view.

"Hurrah! there they come!" shouted one who had climbed a tree, the better to get the first glimpse of the returning couple.

As the boat slipped out on the silvery surface of the lonely lake, so well named Solitude, the cheers that arose must have been particularly pleasing to the young man who was devoting so much of his time to the task of trying to make the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts the best troops in the county.

But it was Ginger who deliberately dropped his oars, to rise to his feet, and with his black hand over his heart, make several salaams. He came near taking a header over the side of the boat in his eagerness to return the compliments which he really believed the boys were meaning for him, at which of course there was an uproarious laugh all around.

Then came the landing. Ty Collins made sure that the boat contained a lot of packages, and his eyes shone with pleasure as he saw that one of them bore the unmistakable outlines of a whole ham.

"This way, Mr. Garrabrant, we've got a surprise for you!" laughed Elmer.

"You come along, too, Ginger," called Lil Artha, "and make the acquaintance of an old friend of yours. He's been fretting like everything because you were so long getting here. Diablo, here's Ginger coming to shake hands with you!"

Of course they had heaps of fun watching the look on the face of Ginger, as he found himself confronting the hairy thief whom he had seen under such strange conditions, and believed to be a visitor from a warm country where pitchforks are said to be in fashion.

But it required considerable urging for Ginger to actually take the extended hand of the big monkey. Eventually, however, they became quite good friends. Ginger was forever supplying the captive with tidbits, and on his part Diablo seemed to recognize in the dark-skinned man a boon companion.

Of course, after they had their little frolic, and the story of Diablo's capture had been fully told, the boys were eager to know whether Mr.

Garrabrant had succeeded in turning the two bad men over to the Rockaway authorities, also if he had happened to run across any of their folks while in Hickory Ridge.

"Make your minds easy, boys," he had replied, laughingly. "Jim and Bill are safely lodged behind the bars in Rockaway jail. I saw Colonel Hitchens, and he paid me the reward that was offered for their capture, which goes to the troop. Later on you boys shall take a vote as to what to do with the money, though I imagine I can give a pretty good guess where it'll go from what I heard you say before about Abe and his kiddies."

"Did you happen to mention the fact that we believed we had his runaway monkey up here as a neighbor, sir?" asked Elmer.

"I certainly did, and he at once declared that if you could only manage to get hold of that rogue, Diablo, it would be another hundred dollars reward," answered the scout master.

"Hurrah!" cried Lil Artha, boisterously, "but the honor goes to Elmer and Mark. They not only did the entire trick, but managed to get a flashlight picture of the monkey going up in the air, with one of his hind legs gripped in the loop of a rope. It's the greatest thing I ever heard about! Wait till you see the picture, sir."

"But how about Hickory Ridge, sir; I suppose it's still on the map?"

asked Elmer, who knew only too well that every fellow was just dying to hear whether the scout master had happened to run across any of their home folks, and what they had said in sending word.

"Well," replied Mr. Garrabrant, with a smile and a nod around; "I've got a pleasant surprise for you all. Having some time on my hands after I had carried out my little business affairs, I just thought it would be nice if I took my car and ran around to the home of every scout who is in camp here on old Solitude!"

"Bully for you, sir!"

"That was mighty fine of you, Mr. Garrabrant, and did you see my folks, sir?"

"Three cheers for our scout master, fellows; ain't he all to the good, though?"

Now, Mr. Garrabrant knew boys and was not in the least offended by such crude ways of expressing their appreciation. He knew it sprang straight from the heart, and was prouder to have won so lasting a place in their regard than he would have been to take a city.

"Yes, I saw the folks of every lad, and bear messages that will please you, I am sure," he observed. "Here they are, just as they were sent by mothers and fathers. And you may be sure they were delighted to learn how well things were going. They want you to stay your time out, and come back, ruddy and brown, better fitted to take up your school duties when vacation ends."

After the packet of little hastily scribbled messages had been distributed, care having been taken by the thoughtful scout master that not a single one might feel neglected, there was a strange silence in camp. Undoubtedly several of the boys were rather perilously near the breaking point, as they began to once more experience the grip of that terrible malady--homesickness.

But Mr. Garrabrant knew, and he it was who began to play with the captive monkey, causing more or less sport, that presently had all the boys laughing uproariously. And so the threatened eruption was avoided.

When supper time came they had managed to recover their former steadiness of purpose to stick it out to the end.

But there was not a single member of the troop who did not treasure that little slip of paper, bearing only a few cheering loving words in a familiar hand, during the rest of the stay in camp.

As to what else befell the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts, and particularly those members of the Wolf Patrol in whom we have had especial interest, time and s.p.a.ce will not allow my attempting to narrate here. Later on the opportunity will doubtless arise, so that we shall once more make their acquaintance, and accompany them on other fields of outdoor life, where they continue to imbibe the secrets of Nature that are calculated to make them better fitted to take care of themselves, and be of service to their fellows.

No serious calamity came to pa.s.s as the days slipped along. They continued to take toll of the obliging trout that dwelt in Lake Solitude, long acquainted with the hooks and devices of civilized man.

And Mr. Garrabrant seldom allowed even a single day to pa.s.s without endeavoring to foster in his boys the manly spirit all American lads should possess.

The day before they expected to break camp a party went over to the cabin of Abe Morris and brought him back with them, he being so far recovered, thanks to the treatment of the proud amateur physician, Dr.

Ted, that he could limp, with the aid of crutches, and the stout as well as willing arms of the boys to lean upon.