Part 4 (1/2)

Thad and Allan, who had now returned in time to hear this last exchanged looks.

”A clear case of sleep walking, seems like!” ventured the former.

”Oh! my goodness gracious! I thought I was over them tricks years ago!”

exclaimed b.u.mpus, s.h.i.+vering. ”If they're agoing to take me again I see my finish; because some night I'll walk off a precipice, and that'll be the end of me.”

”We'll like as not have to tie you by the leg every night, just like Jim is now; and that'll stop you prancing around loose, trying to set my pets free in your sleep,” Step Hen went on to say, rea.s.suringly; but somehow b.u.mpus did not seem to take to the idea the least bit.

”You let me alone, that's all, Step Hen Bingham,” he told the other, ”and I'll fix my own business. That's what comes of you keeping the silly old owl. Serve you about right if his mate dropped in and bit the end of your big toe off to pay you up for fastening that chain on the poor thing's leg.”

”Say, I like that, now; when you were the very first one to ask if we couldn't keep that same owl!” Step Hen told him.

”Wow! that hurts some, let me tell you, fellows!” groaned the fat scout, when Allan was putting some salve, calculated to help heal the wound, on the torn place, and then with the a.s.sistance of the scout-master started binding the hand up with windings of soft linen that came in a tape roll two inches wide.

”But let me tell you it's some chilly out here, with only pajamas on,”

objected Giraffe; ”and for one I'm going to skip back under my blanket, where I can snuggle down. Somebody remember to throw a little wood on the fire, please. Let Davy do it.”

Of course that really meant either the scoutmaster or Allan; and Giraffe often had a failing for s.h.i.+rking some duty like this. It was so easy to expect some other to do disagreeable things; though as a rule the boys were accustomed to saying, ”let Davy do it,” until it had become so tiresome that the Jones boy had rebelled, and refused to be the errand boy any longer for the entire patrol.

In half ah hour silence again brooded over the camp. b.u.mpus must have done something to make sure he did not start walking in his sleep again, for nothing occurred to disturb their slumbers until dawn came along and, with birds singing, as well as gray squirrels barking l.u.s.tily at the intruders, awakened them all.

Breakfast was hurried, because all of them were' anxious to be on the move. They knew that by following the sh.o.r.e of the big water several miles they would come to the point where there was a village, with something of a landing place in a sheltered nook; and here they expected to find their boat awaiting them.

It was about an hour after sun-up that the cheery notes of b.u.mpus'

silver-toned bugle gave the signal for the start; and the six khaki-clad lads could be seen moving at a fairly fast pace along the sh.o.r.e of the lake. Step Hen had managed to bundle the captive owl in a spare sweater, so he could carry him all right without danger.

The little waves came purling up close to their feet, and seemed to welcome the strangers to their domain; but Thad knew full well that under different conditions these same waves would unite to threaten them with destruction.

Step Hen having found a way to muzzle the owl, so that he could carry the prisoner, without fear of dire attacks from that sharp beak seemed more determined than ever to try and keep Jim; and he frowned every time he saw b.u.mpus observing the bird thoughtfully, because he imagined the fat scout might be hatching up a scheme for choking the thick-necked prisoner, in revenge for what he had suffered from its savage thrust.

Finally a loud shout was heard from Giraffe, who, being so much taller than the balance of the scouts, and possessed of a neck he could stretch to an alarming degree, was in a position to see much further than the rest.

”The village is in sight!” he announced, whereat there was a cheer, the owl commenced to struggle afresh, and Step Hen had his hands full trying to quiet his feathered prisoner.

With their goal now close at hand the boys were able to step out at a more lively pace, even b.u.mpus showing surprising gains.

About ten o'clock they arrived at the settlement where they had seen some sort of dock, at which a couple of ore barges of the whaleback type were being loaded.

Already the eager eyes of the boys had discovered a boat that answered the description of the one they expected to find awaiting them.

Making straight for the place they found that they had guessed rightly.

That good sized powerboat was the Chippeway Belle, the vessel which was to be their home for the next two weeks or more, as they pleased.

An investigation revealed the fact that their stores were all aboard, as well as their extra supplies that went under the general designation of ”duffel.”

”Nothing else for us to do but go aboard, and make a bully start, is there, Thad?” asked the impatient Giraffe, eager to find out how the craft could go; for up to now the Silver Fox Patrol had generally spent their outings on dry land; and this idea of a cruise had come somewhat in the shape of what Thad called an ”innovation.”