Part 13 (1/2)

”It might be worse if the whole lot of us had been there and got our share,” remarked Elmer, who could always see things on the bright side, in which he was the exact reverse of Doubting George.

”Dell me vat I must do, Elmer. I promise to carry oudt de plans.

Somedings must pe done right qvick, or I shall pe smothered. It is pad; but I am von scout, und can take der hard knocks mit der good.”

”That's the kind of talk, Adam,” Elmer hastened to say. ”You're all right, even if you do seem unpleasant company just now. Listen to me. Go back into the woods a piece. Then strip off every rag and hide them in some hollow log. I'll follow you when you go to the river, and fetch along what stuff we find we can spare. All told I reckon there'll be a s.h.i.+rt, trousers and shoes for you; and that's all you need this hot weather. Please make a start, for we've got to the end of our endurance.

Turn around; now you're off!”

When the unfortunate German lad had vanished, the trouble was far from being at an end. He left a decided legacy behind him, and Landy was loud in his wails.

”How ever can we stand it, Elmer?” he asked. ”All the rest of the time we stay in camp do we just have to endure that rank odor?”

”'What can't be cured must be endured,' you remember we used to write in our copybooks at school, Landy,” replied the patrol leader. ”Nothing like getting used to things, you know. It isn't pleasant, of course; but there might be worse happen to us. Suppose now our new recruit had run across a rattlesnake instead of a polecat! But get a hustle on you, fellows, and see if we can rig Adam out somehow. I've got an extra s.h.i.+rt he's welcome to.”

”And there's that pair of trousers I brought along,” said Landy; ”he can get into them all right. But I'll say good-by when I hand 'em over; for I just know the perfume will stick always; and I never could stand it, never.”

Some one else came forward with shoes, and in this fas.h.i.+on the wretched victim of confiding innocence and curiosity was supplied with an outfit calculated to carry him through.

Taking these things with him, Elmer started forth along the trail of Adam.

”Just follow your nose, and you'll find him!” sang out Landy.

”And look out you don't repeat his sad experience, Elmer,” laughed Ty.

The woods seemed to be pretty strong with the powerful odor, as Elmer walked on. He was a fair hand at following a trail, and the German lad had certainly not made any effort to conceal his footprints.

Presently Elmer found where Adam had stuffed his garments into a hollow log, just as he had been told; but as he was no longer in sight, the scout patrol leader took it for granted that he had turned to head for the river again, in order to plunge in.

Accordingly Elmer also turned and walked that way, believing that he would strike the stream a little distance below the camp.

”Goodness! I hope, now, Adam doesn't lose himself in the woods!” he exclaimed, as a sudden startling thought flashed into his mind.

”Wouldn't that just be the limit, though, and with not a bit of clothes along!”

But a minute later he caught sight of the other stalking along ahead.

The river could also be seen in glimpses between the trees, showing that after all Adam had chosen the right course.

”Well, what ails him now?” Elmer asked himself, for as he looked he suddenly saw the German boy bound up into the air, and start to thres.h.i.+ng about with his hands in the wildest kind of way.

Then he started to run madly along, letting out a series of shouts, and finally taking a header from the bank into the river.

Something came buzzing about Elmer's head.

”Hornets!” he exclaimed, making a stroke at the insistent insect that was trying to reach his face, until by a fortunate blow he sent it down.

Then he started off, making a wide detour so as to avoid the spot where the unlucky Adam must have run foul of the nest.

When he finally drew up at the river bank and peeped over, he saw Adam with everything but the upper part of his head submerged. He seemed to be looking for a new a.s.sortment of enemies hovering over him. His introduction to the mysteries of the great American woods bade fair to make a great impression on Adam. Indeed, when finally Elmer induced him to come forth, he discovered that there were three distinct impressions, and each of them as large as a hickory nut, one being behind the ear, another on his right arm, and a third on the calf of his leg, where the angry little hornets had left their mark.

No doubt the new recruit thought he was having a pretty rough time of it all told. But he had a genial nature, and could take things as they came; so that presently he was able to laugh at his misfortunes.