Part 1 (2/2)

”Think tho?” asked Ted, quickly.

”Just watch and see,” replied the other, who, besides being the leader of his patrol, known as the Wolf Patrol, was also the a.s.sistant scout master of the troop and authorized by certificate from the headquarters of the organization to a.s.sume the duties of Mr. Garrabrant whenever that gentleman was away on business.

Suddenly Adam gave a bound up and down until the springy board had taken on a motion superior to anything that had been done by the others in their efforts to excel.

As it came up finally, the body of the German boy leaped into the air.

Those who were watching with distended eyes saw him turn over twice before he struck the surface of the water, beneath which he shot with the grace of a fish.

Elmer gave a shout.

”I thought as much; Adam was hoodwinking you, boys!” he laughed.

”Wow, did you ever see the like of that! A double somersault before he struck, and then he dived under like a greenback frog from a log!” and Landy's fat face was a study as he looked his utter amazement.

”I take it all back!” shouted Ty. ”They _do_ know how to dive over in Yarmany and beat us all hollow. Say, fellows, I bet you Adam is going to prove to be the best water dog in all Hickory Ridge. Look at him swimming there, will you? I've seen an otter or a muskrat doing it that way, but never a boy. Ain't he the peach though! I take off my hat to Adam!”

”That'th what we all thay!” cried Ted, enthusiastically.

”Three cheers for our new comrade, fellows; here's to Adam, and may he prove as great a find as a true scout as he has a water duck!” exclaimed Elmer.

The cheers rang out, and were followed with a ”tiger.” Adam was coming back now, and his red face beamed with satisfaction. They had been inclined to look on him as a real greenhorn; and no doubt that was what he would prove to be with regard to most of the ways of woodcraft in which scouts desire to become proficient; but the boy from across the big water had certainly surprised his new mates this day by his expertness at diving and swimming.

So long as they remained in the water they kept Adam busy showing off.

He had a dozen clever tricks from the springboard; and there was no one in Hickory Ridge who, as Ty declared, could ”hold a candle to him.”

”No, nor in Fairfield, either,” said Elmer, after he had seen what the German lad could do; ”and if we ever have another series of rival tests with our friends over there, make up your minds, fellows, that Adam will stand in a cla.s.s all his own.”

Finally, when some of the boys began to show signs of blue lips, Elmer declared they had been in long enough. When one is not accustomed to being in the water at all hours, the vitality of the system is exhausted after a certain time; and those who are wise will make it a point to come out before they get to s.h.i.+vering, even on a hot September day, like the one that found these Hickory Ridge scouts in camp up on the Sweet.w.a.ter.

A few of the boys, it seemed, had not had quite enough of outdoor life during the long vacation and they had induced Elmer to start out for three days more of camping, taking a tent along and a few things calculated to add to their comfort.

Adam, as the latest addition to the troop, asked permission to accompany them, and as he was something of a comical fellow they expected to have more or less fun at his expense as a greenhorn.

After this remarkable experience, however, some of them began to suspect that the shoe might frequently prove to be on the other foot; and that the German boy would turn the tables on them, even as he had done in the water test.

The tent was pitched close by, at a point selected by Elmer as the best to be found along that part of the river. The ground had the proper drainage in case of a heavy storm and was not under any high tree, so that the danger from lightning was reduced to a minimum.

They had brought a few things along to eat; and as farms lay not far away, each day some of the scouts trailed over to one of these in order to purchase other articles, such as fresh milk, eggs, b.u.t.ter, and green corn, and on this morning Elmer had brought back a couple of fine chickens which a farmer had presented to him.

Of course, the rest of the boys understood that at some past time Elmer must have done the farmer a favor; for he was always eager to lend a helping hand when an occasion arose; but he declined to tell the story, and as they had the chickens the boys found no fault.

Elmer had made an oven in the ground, after the type used by hunters in many lands. A deep hole was scooped out, and a hot fire kept going for some hours; then the red ashes were removed, and the chickens, properly wrapped in big leaves, placed in the oven which was then hermetically sealed with clay.

This might be called the first ”fireless cooker.” It is the very principle upon which all those now on the market are constructed; and, indeed, the bottles that are guaranteed to keep their contents hot for twenty-four hours are fas.h.i.+oned on some similar lines for retaining the heat.

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