Buch lesen: «Under Canvas: or, The Hunt for the Cartaret Ghost», Seite 5

CHAPTER IX
THE CAMPING OUT EXPEDITION

This time there was a load for Nancy to pull, since besides the five scouts who had made the nutting trip three additional fellows were along.

First of all there was a lanky boy who long ago in a spirit of derision had been dubbed "Lil Artha" by his Comrades; and although he stood fully a head taller than any of his intimate chums, he still answered cheerfully to this silly name. Arthur Stansbury was a good scout, and well liked, though at critical times he showed a disposition to get what boys call "rattled," and on more than one occasion this weakness had resulted in his getting those long legs of his twisted in a knot, resulting in trouble all around.

Landy Smith was a cousin of George Robbins. Philander was rather fat, belonged to the Wolf Patrol, and had been known to walk in his sleep, so that often the others, whenever any mysterious thing happened in camp at nighttime, accused Landy of doing it while under the influence of this strange wandering spirit, that made him get up while asleep, to play tricks, and disturb his mates.

The third boy was Tyrus Collins. His specialty as a scout, if he had any, was his recognized ability as a cook; and Ty's weakness might be said to be a fondness for wearing a sweater of a pronounced fiery hue. Once a garment of this type had gotten Ty into a lot of trouble with a furious bull, when he was caught in a pasture, and forced to take refuge in a lone tree. He had only escaped in the end by sacrificing his red sweater, which the bull stopped to rend while the fleeing boy managed to gain a friendly fence.

But Ty could not always be expected to remember this danger, and at present he boasted of another garment of a sanguinary hue, which he wore when he believed there were no bulls around.

Here, then, were eight lively fellows seated "every-which-way" in that commodious wagon, and enlivening the time as they journeyed toward camp with much jabbering, and not a little loud singing of popular songs.

They appeared to be completely happy. Ty was wearing his "grand sweater" right then, and treated the warnings solemnly uttered by some of his mates with abject scorn. Nancy certainly did have a pretty heavy load to transport, and after the first mile or so along the frosty road there were no further manifestations of gaiety on her part, only dull care, for she labored heavily.

But then these boys were merciful, and they generally jumped off, to walk up any steep hills, so as to relieve the beast of burden. Scouts early learn to think of the woes of dumb animals, and show a disposition to lighten their work all that is possible. If being a scout did not teach a boy a single thing more than that it would still have accomplished much; and posterity would have great cause to be grateful to General Baden-Powell as the originator of the organization that has long ere now circled the globe, and made converts in every clime.

The boys were of course all dressed in the familiar khaki uniforms associated with scouts everywhere; and they carried with them a couple of tents, as well as other necessary things connected with camping out. There were no firearms visible, though possibly a gun or two might turn up later on, when the contents of that heavily laden wagon had been fully disclosed. Several of the boys were fond of hunting under favorable conditions; and besides, as there was always some danger to be encountered from wild beasts or snakes, Elmer thought it advisable to be prepared for an emergency.

He sat on the front seat with Toby and George; Chatz, Ty and Landy had managed to pre-empt the second one by virtue of early arrival; while Ted and Lil Artha, the "long and the short of it," made themselves fairly comfortable on the soft tents, and claimed to have the best of the bargain.

The tall scout dangled his long legs over the tail-board, and was frequently called upon to "quit dragging," whenever the pace of the animal between the shafts slowed down from any cause.

"How about going all the way in with the rig this time, Elmer; could we make the riffle, do you think?" Toby was asking, after they had gone three-fourths of the distance to the Cartaret place, and there was a brief lull in the general chaffing.

The others listened in order to catch the reply of the scout master, for of course they were one and all interested in what was being said.

"I don't see any particular reason why we shouldn't," Elmer answered; "we found it possible to take the wagon all the way to the nut grove when we wanted to load our sacks; and by watching out smartly I reckon we'll find a way to push through the woods there."

"I only mention it," continued Toby, as though he thought some explanation were necessary, "because we've got a raft of stuff along this time, and if we had to tote the same on our backs to and from the wagon, it'd mean a lot of hard work, all of which could be saved."

"And I think it a good idea too," chimed in George; "though of course I'm always willing to shoulder my share of the hard work when it's got to be done."

There was more or less chuckling and nudging among the other scouts when this broad statement was made, because George had a reputation a little bit along the line of a "shirk," when it came to hard labor, though always ready to do his duty manfully when a meal had to be disposed of.

"Well, we ought to get there in about twenty minutes more, if only Nancy doesn't drop dead with heart disease," Toby went on to say.

"Not much danger of that, Toby," ventured Ted, from the rear of the wagon; "I alwayth did thay that Nanthy wath the toughest thing that ever wore the iron on her hoofth. And I expect to thee her doing duty yearth after I come back with my diploma from college. And they tell me thereth only one hoth older than Nancy in the county, which ith owned by that Connie Mallon's dad, the mathon."

Somehow the very mention of that name which had been associated with considerable of tumult in the past history of the scouts' organization seemed to remind Toby and George of the remarkable events connected with their late nutting expedition. Elmer, therefore, was not in the least surprised to hear George immediately voice the feeling of detestation he entertained toward Connie Mallon.

"I hope that gang enjoyed the treat we fetched home for 'em the other day; and which I believe you and Toby here distributed like a pair of Thanksgiving Santa Claus," he remarked, with a vein of satire in his voice that was almost as natural to Doubting George as breathing was; "but I never did take any stock in the game, though I agreed to assist out, to please you, Elmer. And to my mind it was a flat failure in the bargain. We might as well have handed all that lot of good nuts to some poor family, or turned the same into the pig-pen for the porkers."

"Oh! I don't know," Toby said, with his favorite drawl. "Elmer here seems to be of the opinion that it's done some good. Anyhow, none of us has had any trouble with that Mallon crowd since then. They seem to slide away every time they see us coming down the street, or across the campus at school."

"Good reason," piped up George, "because they're afraid that if they say a word we'll start the ball arolling, and everybody in town'll hear how they ran like Sam Hill, leaving their nuts behind, and thinking a ghost was chasing after 'em. Huh! don't you give that tough crowd credit for thinking anything decent, because it ain't in 'em."

"Listen," said Elmer, quietly, "and perhaps you'll find it best to change your tune, Old Question Mark. I had a little surprise this same morning when I came out of the house, just as dawn was breaking. Something dangling there alongside the back door caught my eye, and what do you think it was?"

"Oh! give it up, Elmer," said George, with a shrug of his shoulders; while the others leaned forward eagerly, intent on hearing the answer; "couldn't guess in a year of Sundays, so open up and tell us."

"A brace of the fattest and biggest rabbits I ever saw, and fresh killed at that," replied the scout master, impressively.

"Oh! you don't mean to say it?" ejaculated Toby; "and, Elmer, as sure as anything I saw Connie Mallon coming home late last evening with four of the same hanging over his shoulder, and looking as proud as a turkey cock. He just grinned as he walked past, and even nodded his head, but I was too surprised to answer him, or ask where he struck such great luck. But then everybody knows Connie is the best rabbit hunter around Hickory Ridge, and has got a boss hound in the bargain. So you think he left that brace hanging at your back door, do you?"

"I'm as sure of it as if I saw him sneaking in late at night, and fastening the pair there," said Elmer, positively; "and he divided evenly with me, you see, if he had just four. Now, George, what do you say to that? Was it a silly thing in our taking those four bags of nuts, and leaving them where we did? Don't you think Connie Mallon was set thinking, and that unable to express himself in any other way he carried out this fine thing to show me he understood the motive back of what we did?"

George died hard.

"Well, I wouldn't just like to say that much, Elmer," he admitted; "because I don't believe that tough case could understand a decent motive; but he evidently wanted to let you know he'd keep still, if you fellows only wouldn't blab on him and his crowd."

"I don't agree with you, George," the other told him, sharply. "I think you've got to rub your eyes some yourself, and get the scales off. It's my opinion that in his own crude way Connie meant to tell me he was holding out the olive branch. I've got a hunch he's in a humor to be approached, and met more than half-way; and when we get back after this camping trip I'm going to have a chin with him the first chance I get to see him alone."

"Huh! wish you luck then, that's all," grunted George; "but I give you my opinion for what it's worth, and the chances are ten to one you'll rub up against a stone wall."

"Well, there'll be no harm done, anyway," continued Elmer, nor did he insist on carrying the argument any further, for he knew how persistent George could be, and that although possessed of many sterling qualities, being broad-minded was not a cardinal virtue of the doubting scout.

A short time later and those who had been up in this region recently began to call the attention of their companions to certain features of the landscape, and comment on the same.

"I'd give a heap," said Chatz, "to own a picture of that other rig coming whooping out of the woods somewhere around here, and turning down the road in the direction of town. Well, suh, I reckon the fellow who held the whip was using the same on the backs of those hosses like fun, and the lot of them shouting to him to make the team go faster, because they believed the ghost would overtake them."

"It sure must have been a glorious sight," called out the long-legged Lil Artha, from the rear of the vehicle; "and just like you, Chatz, I'd give a heap to see a photograph of the same. Do we turn in here, Toby?"

"Yes, and you fellows hang on now, tooth and nail," replied the driver, "or there's a chance of you getting pitched out, because the old wagon joggles dreadfully most of the time over roots and stones. Steady, back there, everybody!"

What Toby said turned out to be the truth. He tried to pick the easiest trail possible, but in spite of this it proved to be so rough that presently Elmer called a halt.

"I'm going to walk the balance of the way, fellows," he declared, as he made a jump and landed on the ground.

"Me too!" echoed Landy Smith, following suit.

In another minute Toby was the only one left aboard, and he too might have gladly sought the ground only that it was necessary for some one to do the driving.

Old Nancy appreciated this lightening of her load by striving harder than ever to draw it; while George and Ted and Chatz continued to call attention to various features of the landscape.

"There's where we hid our wagon that other time," the last named declared, pointing to a thick cover of brush, into which the track of wheels led; "and Toby, you notice, is turning out, because this time we don't want to head direct for the nut grove, but the dense woods alongside. We saw a fine spring as we came by, and I reckon, suh, that our efficient scout master has it all fixed in his mind's eye to pitch our tents close to that."

"Saves a heap of water lugging, and that counts," admitted Lil Artha.

"That oughtn't to bother you much, Lil Artha," said George; "when you're built to cover half a mile at every step. All you'd have to do would be to take one look-in, fill your pail, and then turning around, come right back again."

"Our camp, then, will be pretty close to the old house, won't it?" ventured Chatz; and there was an eagerness in his voice that betrayed how much he had been thinking of his luck at being in the vicinity of a building said to be haunted, for two full nights.

"That's what it will," Toby called out over his shoulder, for he was following the pilot of the expedition, Elmer, who strode on all by himself away in the van; "and you'll have a chance to scrape up an acquaintance with that old hobgoblin, Chatz. You're welcome to all the fun; I haven't lost any ghost that I know about, and you don't ketch me hanging about in there half the night, waiting for something white and clammy to stalk around. Ugh! I should say not. Oh! what was that?"

Nancy, up to then behaving very well, because quite tired after the long pull, began to prance at a lively rate; and every one of the four scouts craned their necks and stared in one particular direction; it was in that quarter George had just said the haunted house lay; and what had come to their ears was the strangest sort of a cry they had ever heard, a mingling of pain and rage it seemed.

CHAPTER X
IN FOR A GLORIOUS TIME

"A wildcat!" exclaimed Ty Collins, excitedly.

"Mebbe only an old owl," Lil Artha ventured; "because I remember you fellows told us there were some whoopers up here; and when an old house has got bats in its belfry it's likely to have owls too."

"The house is over that way, ain't it?" questioned Landy Smith, showing a mild interest in the matter; but his indifference was more than made up for by the excitement on the part of the Southern scout, whose dark eyes fairly danced with eagerness.

"I should say it was," he told Landy, "and if you think that's only an owl, or even a wildcat, suh, I reckon you've got another guess coming to you."

"Listen to that, would you?" broke from Ty; "our chum from Dixie here believes in ghosts, and he even thinks that was one warning us away from the haunted house. It'd take a dozen of the same to scare me off. I may light out before an enraged bull, but you don't find me sneaking away when there's a white thing waving up and down in the road. Had a lesson once, when I found it out to be just a rag hangin' from a branch, and since then nothing spooky ever faizes Ty Collins."

Chatz looked keenly at the speaker, and nodded his head. Although he made no remark, his manner was that of a prophet, and Elmer, noticing it, could imagine him saying: "Just wait, and we'll see what sort of nerve you've got, Ty Collins. Things seem different at high noon from what they do when it's midnight. And if I have my way you'll get a chance to see a real ghost, for once in your life; because I just believe in the things, make all the fun you want to."

Whatever the strange thrilling cry may have been, at least it was not repeated. Nancy was quieted by Toby, and the other scouts stood there, listening earnestly, for fully five minutes, but nothing developed worth noticing.

Finally Elmer called out to them:

"Here, get a move on, Toby, and come along. We've got lots to do before we can cook our first dinner; and I don't know how you fellows feel, but I'm as hungry as a wolf. Make a sharp turn here, Toby, because we want to push straight into the woods, and reach that spring."

Of all the scouts, George was really the only one who, as they walked on, turned his head and glanced back several times toward the region from which that strange sound had come.

Chatz noticed it, and smiled grimly, as though making up his mind that perhaps he might find a convert in his belief in George, especially if anything remarkable did come to pass, as he felt almost sure would be the case.

Presently they came to the running water, and by following this up a short distance found the spring.

"Hurrah! here we rest! Alabama for mine!" cried Lil Artha, as he turned and surveyed his surroundings, with the eye of one who had camped on numerous previous occasions, and might be expected to know something about such things.

Then ensued a bustle, as the scouts began to unload the contents of the wagon, stake out the mare, and start to get things arranged.

Every fellow had his share of the work apportioned to him, so that there was little real confusion, or getting in each other's way; and it was wonderful how things seemed to almost grow like magic.

Two khaki-colored waterproofed tents soon stood there, facing toward the south, and with the spring only twenty feet away. Inside these the scouts began immediately to arrange their blankets, though the beds would not be made up until after the coming of night.

Another pair attended to the very important duty of making the cooking range, on top of which they would spread the metal top that was to serve as a gridiron, to hold such utensils as were necessary for cooking purposes.

When this had been constructed to their satisfaction a fire was quickly kindled, for the air was still rather sharp, even for a November day, and all of them felt they would be much better for a warm lunch.

Amidst more or less good-natured chaffing the meal was prepared. There was no lack of assistant cooks to help Ty, who had taken upon himself the duties of chef for the occasion, since long ago he had proved his capacity in that line; everybody seemed only too willing to help, such is the potent effect of genuine hunger.

Even George was bustling around, trying to hurry things along, picking out all the best wood in order to make a hotter fire, and occasionally peeping in under the covers of the two kettles to learn if the contents might not be sufficiently cooked.

It was about an hour after noon when dinner was ready, and all of them admitted the result was well worth waiting for. That frosty November air had given them an enormous appetite, and everything tasted better than it could possibly do at home; so for a certain length of time little was said, since they were too busy in disposing of the meal to talk.

When the edge had been taken from their appetites they fell into a disjointed conversation, and almost every subject under the sun was discussed from the standpoint of scouts.

Afterwards they lounged around for a while, being really too full to think of doing anything strenuous. As this was not supposed to be a regular camping trip of the whole troop, Elmer had not laid out any particular programme looking to their practicing the various "stunts" which scouts are interested in. Under ordinary conditions there would have been all manner of events underway, such as wigwagging classes, tracking advocates, new wrinkles in nature-study unfolded; photography of wild animals and birds in their native haunts undertaken, and many other educational features that make the camping out experience of Boy Scouts so vastly superior to those of other lads who simply go to the woods to loaf away the time, swim, and fish, and eat.

Of course each fellow was at liberty to employ himself as best he thought would give him the most pleasure, only there was no authority brought to bear, and no one felt constrained to do anything that he did not particularly care for.

"Where's Chatz gone?" asked Lil Artha, after they had been knocking around in this fashion for nearly an hour after eating, and several of them showed signs of wanting to be on the move.

"Oh! I saw him slip away a while back," remarked Toby, "and chances are he's prowling in and out of that old shebang over beyond the trees, the haunted house that Judge Cartaret built fifty years or so ago. Chatz is clear daft on the subject of spirits, you know. And from what I've seen of him, it wouldn't surprise me a little bit if the fellow before we left here, tried to get us to make some sort of a ghost trap, to grab that wonderful spook in."

"If he ever did that," Elmer remarked, "it would show that deep down in his heart Chatz didn't believe in any such notion; because if there was such a thing as a real ghost no trap we could manufacture would ever hold it. If Chatz proposed that to us he'd be as much as saying he believed the ghost to be a man, playing a game for some reason or other."

"But," interposed Ty Collins, "what sort of a game would make anybody prance around here night after night, with a sheet wrapped around him, and p'raps luminous paint on his face, like I remember a ghost once did. But in that case there was a good reason, for he wanted to give a bad name to the property so he could buy it in for a song. That wouldn't be the case here with the Cartaret place, you know."

"Well, it's foolish trying to guess a thing when we haven't even seen the ghost," George interrupted the others to say; "and I've got to be shown such a thing before I'll take the least stock in it; though I must say that as a rule Chatz is a long-headed chap, and not easy fooled."

When Elmer heard George say this he fancied that it would only take one mysterious ghostly manifestation to make the doubter an ardent believer in supernatural things. Scoffer that George was, once he saw with his own eyes, he went to the other extreme, and became firmly convinced. It was just like the swing of the pendulum with him every time.

"Oh! let's forget all that stuff about white-sheeted things that walk in the middle of the night!" exclaimed Landy Smith, "and pick up a more cheerful subject. Now just yesterday I chanced to be reading an account that told how three scouts in this very state made a study of hunting for the hives of wild honey bees up in the hollow limbs of trees in the woods. Elmer, do you think we could run across a hive filled with delicious honeycombs around here?"

"Whee! you make my mouth water just to hear you talk about it," Lil Artha arose to say, "and if so be any of you make the try for a hive just count me in, will you?"

"You bet we will," Landy hastened to assure him, "and right now consider yourself appointed commissioner-in-chief, whose principal duty will be to climb the honey tree, after we locate the same, and cause the warm-footed little innocents to vacate, so that we can gather in a store of the nectar. Wow! I'm going right away to see if I can't find the tree. Who'll be my backer? Don't all speak at once!"

Lil Artha and Ted proved to be the most eager for the adventure. Upon making inquiries it was found that Landy had read all about how to locate a bee tree, if by good luck any such happened to be in the neighborhood, and was ready to show his chums how the thing ought to be done.

His talk concerning the subject proved to be so interesting that when a start was made he had gained another convert, being Ty Collins.

"I rather think I'd like to see how that thing's done, myself," this worthy admitted, "so with your permission, Landy, I'll tag along, and if you need any help in carrying the stock of honeycomb home count on me. Right now I feel like I could tackle a few big wedges myself, and enjoy the same."

"All right, come along with us, Ty," Landy told him, cheerfully; "but I'd feel a whole lot easier in my mind if you'd take off that red sweater, and wear something else."

"What for?" demanded Ty, who could be pretty stubborn when he chose. "This is going to be a bee hunt, not a bull fight, that I know of. Why should you object to me going warmly clad, I'd like to know?"

"Oh! well," replied Landy with a grin that told he had only been drawing the other on for a purpose; "there might be an old king bee that had a detestation for red, just the same as a bull does, and he'd make it so warm for us we'd have to get out of the woods in a hurry."

"Rats!" the other shot back at him, "bees don't bother about what they see; I've been told by an old bee man that it's sounds they get mad at. And then there ain't such a thing as a king bee anyhow – queens, drones and workers make up a colony. Oh! I ain't quite such a ninny as some people think. So I guess this beautiful red sweater goes along."

"All right, if you're willing to take such a terrible risk it's nothing to the rest of us, is it, fellows?" Landy told him, with a chuckle; and then went on to add: "Now, we'll carry a little sugar water along to use if we happen to run across any bees flying around, which at this late day ain't likely. Best we can do is to watch every tree-top and try to hear the buzzing of a swarm of young bees. They come out every fine day as long as the weather lets 'em, around noontime, and try their wings. An old bee hunter can get on to the little hum far off and locate the hive that way. Let's see if we've got ears worth anything."

"The best of luck go with you!" called out Elmer, who was busy with something or other; "and if you need any help come back after the rest of the bunch. I see you're carrying our camp ax, Lil Artha; be careful and don't lose it, because we need that same thing right along."

"Don't worry about that, Elmer," the elongated scout shouted back. "I wouldn't let that get away from me for all the honey in seven counties. But in case we do find a tree that looks good to us I'm ready to swing the ax for all I'm worth," and so saying he strode away after the other three.

That left just Elmer, Toby and George in camp.

"I'd be tickled half to death if they did find a tree, and got a lot of honey," Toby remarked, grinning in anticipation, and licking his lips at the same time; "and I can just see that Lil Artha whooping things when the tree drops, and he rushes headlong in among the branches to scoop up some of the sweet stuff that bursts out of the crack, with a million bees swarming around his ears. If I was you, Elmer, I'd get some witch hazel ready to put on stings, for they'll need it right bad."

"Time enough for that when they report a find!" declared Elmer, who evidently did not have a great deal of confidence in the ability of Landy Smith to locate a hive, especially at that time of year, when the little insects were apt to be lying more or less dormant.

An hour passed by. Then Elmer began to wonder what could be detaining Chatz so long, for he several times looked in the direction where he knew the old deserted Cartaret house must lie, as though half expecting to see the Southern boy come on the full run, with some wonderful story of sights he had seen, or imagined he had, which was the same thing.

When Chatz did appear he was walking slowly, and his face had an expression of subdued disappointment resting on it. Apparently, then, all his prowling in and out of the building could not have met with any particular reward. In other words the Cartaret ghost was not very accommodating, and respectfully declined to make its appearance at such an unheard of hour as three in the afternoon; when every one knew that all respectable spirits only manifest themselves around the midnight hour.

"You didn't run across anything new, did you, Chatz?" Elmer asked him, as he came into camp, took a drink of cool water, and threw himself on the ground to rest.

"Not a single thing, suh; but then I didn't really expect to in broad daylight. Wait till to-night, and I reckon there may be something doing," and then Chatz allowed his brow to show three wrinkles that told of perplexity, for he had heard Elmer chuckle; and all at once it struck him that on the former occasion the scout master had gone back into the house after he and the other comrades had left; and once more the Southern boy who had the vein of superstition in his make-up asked himself what Elmer could have seen on that occasion to make him look so knowing, and have that queer smile cross his face whenever the ghost was mentioned.

But Elmer did not offer to explain, and so Chatz had to content himself with the thought that perhaps on the coming night the veil of secrecy might be lifted from the mystery.