Part 6 (1/2)
The two boys made a move as if to carry out this project, only the scout that, fellows,” Thad said, quickly ”These mountaineers are a thin-skinned lot as far as I've been able to learn; and they won't stand for any poking of your nose into their business
Besides, if it was aa hornet's nest down about our ears”
”Oh! he did have a gun, all right,” remarked bumpus, carelessly
”You didn'tof breath that betrayed excitement
”'Cause nobody askedto say,”
retorted the other ”It was a gun, and an _awful_ wicked looking one too, about as long as my staff, seeested Allan
”How about that, buray beard?” asked Thad
”Nixey; that is I don't kno old he ht a been; but I'm dead sure he didn't have any beard at all, just a sht, Thad, with the dingy old faded brown hoed pants that never caans He saw ed behind that pile of rocks, where like as not he's squattin' right noaitin' to see e're agoin' to do about it, and ready to speak to us with that trusty weapon if we try to rush his fort”
”Well, we're going to do nothing of the kind, just remember that,” said Thad, resolutely ”It's only natural that the men of these mountains should feel a whole lot of curiosity about us I suppose now they never heard of the Boy Scouts; and these uniforms make them think we're connected with the army Noe don't want to stir thely lot, Bob here says, if you rub the fur the wrong way We didn't come down here to bother these moonshi+ners one whit; and if they'll only let us alone, ant to keep our hands off their affairs Let the fellow dodge after us if he wants to; he'll find that we're only a bunch of happy-go-lucky boys, off for a holiday”
”Pity we can't meet up with that same old Phin, and tell hiht be h,” Allan observed, and all of the that he had some scheme to coed the i any h to worry us, ith the troubles of Giraffe getting stuck in that quicksand; and Davy here, falling over every old precipice he can find, without youus puzzle out a problem How could it be done, Allan?”
”Why, we'll send Old Phin a letter,” replied the other, caler, then!” demanded bumpus
Allan picked up a stick, and deliberately split one end so that he could open it up This he thrust into a crevice in the rocks close to the wretched road, and in such a position that it was certain to ain started to follow them
”Now, I'll write a few lines, and leave it here, addressed to Phin Dady,” he went on ”I'll print the words in capitals, in the hopes that the old mountaineer may be able to read as much as that If he can't, then some other of the clan irl make it out How's that, Thad?”
”Splendid, I should say,” replied the scout ”Here, buoin' to do to me?” demanded the short scout, suspiciously, as he hesitated before co
”Is that the way you obey orders?” scoffed Giraffe ”A true scout should never ask questions S'pose theun to want to know the whys and wherefores of everything, d'ye think we'd ever had any chance to declai poem?
Shame on you, bumpus, take a brace, and obey blindly”
”Oh! I only want the use of your broad and steady back for a writing desk, so Allan can get hisjuncture re all the fat boy's suspicions
When Allan had e” he read it aloud, and also let them all have a look at it Just as he had said he would do, he had written it in thecapitals of each letter This hat he had done:
”Phin Dady--We are a patrol of Boy Scouts, come down from the North to see the Carolina mountains We do not mean you, or any one, harun”
”That ought to answer the purpose,” rely