Part 26 (1/2)

”Pick up that log, and use it as a battering ram!” he ordered; and the other four scouts hastened to do so, while the patrol leader stood ready with his gun, not knowing how soon he might have need of it for defense.

As the log came cras.h.i.+ng against the door it flew wide open, proving that it had never been really intended as a means for keeping enemies out. Dropping the log, and at once s.n.a.t.c.hing up their weapons, the scouts rushed to the open doorway, to stare into the cabin. What they saw amazed, and yet delighted them. There was not an enemy in sight; but some object moved upon the hard puncheon floor; and looking closer they discovered that it was no other than b.u.mpus, bound hand and foot, gagged, and with his face as red as a boiled lobster, redder by far than his fiery hair.

CHAPTER XXV

NOT SO GREEN AS HE LOOKED

The only reason that b.u.mpus did not call out help! was because the rough gag, consisting of a cloth tied about the lower part of his face, prevented him from saying a single word.

It was a sight that staggered the other scouts, although at the same time they felt considerable satisfaction at finding their lost churn so speedily, and thus learning that he had not come to very serious harm.

There was an immediate rush made inside the shack, each seeming desirous of being the first to render b.u.mpus a.s.sistance. All but the scoutmaster entered in this promiscuous way, and Thad was too wise a bird to be caught with chaff. What if this should be some sort of a trap, into which the rest of the boys were rus.h.i.+ng headlong? He did not stop to consider how they might be caught, but made up his mind that it was policy on his part to stand guard there at the door.

There were more than enough hands to free the prisoner, and he would not be missed in that way. So Thad, handling his ready gun suggestively, and keeping a keen lookout for signs of trouble, stood there, waiting for the rest to come out.

Amidst more or less confusion b.u.mpus was unbound, after that gag had been removed from his mouth. The first thing he did was to breathe heavily, as though during his confinement he had not been able to get his wind as freely as he liked. Then, when he could get on his feet with the help of Step Hen and Giraffe, he stamped on the cloth that had done duty as a preventative of speech.

”Oh! what haven't I suffered, having that measly old thing under my nose for ages, and this smell of fish everywhere around me!” he exclaimed, as though fairly bursting with indignation. ”How long have I been shut up here, anyway, fellows? Seems like days and weeks must a pa.s.sed since they took me. I kinder lost my senses I reckon, after that chap dropped on top of me, like the mountain was acoming down. Please tell me what day of the week this is?”

At this the others looked puzzled.

”Why, you sure must be locoed, b.u.mpus, to get so twisted as that!”

declared Giraffe.

”I should say he was!” echoed Davy.

”Why, this is the same morning after the storm, don't you know, b.u.mpus, really and truly it is,” Step Hen went on to a.s.sert, with a ring of pity in his voice. ”And, say, did you think it was to-morrow, or the next day, and we'd just about forgotten we had a chum who was missing? Well, if this don't take the cake, I never heard the beat of it.”

”Fetch him outside so I can ask a few questions!” called Thad just then.

”Yes, for goodness sake get me where I can have a whiff of clean air; I'm nearly dead with this fishy smell. I always did hate to handle fish after they got over their jumping stage, and this is awful!” b.u.mpus wailed.

”It certain is,” muttered Giraffe, holding his fingers up to his nose.

So they all bustled out of the door, where they found the scout-master on duty; and all at once it struck the other fellows how smart Thad had been in holding back at the time the rush was made to free b.u.mpus.

”Oh! this is a thousand per cent better!” the late prisoner declared, with genuine thanksgiving in his tones, as he fairly reveled in the clear air that had been purified by the recent blow.

”I heard you asking what day this was, and from that we understand that you must have lost your senses for a while, and got mixed up?” Thad remarked.

”That's what happened, Thad,” replied the other, promptly enough.

”Well, it's not only the same morning after the storm,” continued the other, ”but just about an hour after you went off to hunt for your belt.

I see you found the same, and that they made good use of it to fasten your arms behind your back.”

b.u.mpus looked astonished, as though what he heard was hard to believe; for he shook his head slowly, and observed: