Endurance Test Part 12

That brought the balance out in a hurry, and soon the six were sporting gayly in the water. Adam had to do the high dive, with all its attendant "frills," as Landy called them, in the way of double somersaults, backward and forward, in order to convince the newcomer of his accomplishments. For, of course, Doubting George refused to believe until he had been shown; and even then declared that there must be some sort of trick about it, because it stood to reason that a greenhorn could not excel in anything.

Adam, however, was too good-natured to take offense. As long as they remained in the water he was kept busy showing the many tricks he knew.

Tenderfoot though he might be in most things connected with boy life in America, Adam certainly stood in a cla.s.s by himself when it came to aquatic events.

Then came the pleasing job of getting breakfast. Ty, a.s.sisted by George, consented to look after that part of the business. Since George would only have one whole day in camp, with two nights thrown in, he purposed getting all he could out of it, and had laid out a list of things he wished to try before sundown, consisting of fis.h.i.+ng, taking a few pictures with a little camera he had fetched along, and roaming the neighboring country, looking for promising nut trees for the October gathering, because George was very fond of hickory nuts, chestnuts and walnuts, in season and out.

"Just as like as not there won't be a fish willing to nibble at my bait," he grumbled, after his customary fas.h.i.+on; "and I'd like to wager that this year is a bad one for nuts."

"Oh, let up on that cranky way of looking at things," said Ty. "Perhaps something's the matter with your new camera too, George!"

"Well, you never know," replied the other, sighing. "It looks all right; but the proof of the pudding lies in the eating; and I'm sorter expecting the thing to turn out a fizzle. Cheap things never do amount to much, you know."

"But that was a present on your birthday!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Ty.

"Sure it was; but all the same it's not one of the best; and I'm always suspicious of these things that don't cost top-notch prices," George continued.

"I'd just like to know what you ain't suspicious of," snapped Ty. "Here, don't you go smelling at my flapjacks like you thought there was a bad egg in 'em. Every egg we get is fresh from the coop that day, and marked gilt edge. Before I'd have a way like yours, George, I'd, well, I believe I'd jump in the river."

"I don't believe you would," grinned George, once again true to his reputation as a skeptic.

"What's Elmer going to say?" remarked Ty, he noticed the patrol leader coming hastily into camp, with a queer look on his face.

"Get ready!" Elmer said, mysteriously.

Ty, Ted, George and Landy looked up at this.

"Get ready for what!" demanded the fat boy, attempting to gain his feet in haste, but having to clutch hold of Ted in order to a.s.sist himself.

"To vacate the camp," replied the other.

"But, Elmer, explain, won't you?" asked Ted.

"Yes, tell us why we must get out," echoed George, and adding: "I don't believe he means anything at all, that's what; he's just fooling us, fellows."

"Wait and see," Elmer continued, gravely nodding his head, although his eyes were sparkling with humor. "It's coming, and I tell you that after it arrives there won't be any room here for you fellows. It will occupy the whole place!"

"But, Elmer, what is it that's coming?" asked Landy, visions of the two desperate hoboes filling his mind.

Elmer, in reply, commenced to raise his head, and make a face as he sniffed the air.

"Just try that and see," he remarked, simply.

Upon that the whole lot started to drawing in their breath. Immediately various exclamations told that they had "caught on," as Landy expressed it.

"Oh, murder! What sort of an odor is that!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed George.

"I know!" cried Landy, who had started to clutch his nose between thumb and fingers; "it's a skunk, that's what it is. Wow! It's getting worse all the time, too!"

CHAPTER X.

THE EDUCATION OF ADAM.

THE utmost consternation seized upon the campers.

"Oh! what's bringing all that smell along here?" George cried; for this was his first experience with such a thing, though he had heard lots about other adventures the scouts had had in that line.

"It's Adam; he's got a monopoly of the scent!" laughed Elmer. "And he's on his way to the camp right now. I saw him coming, and got a whiff; then I hurried on to warn you, because I didn't want you to be caught unprepared. There's one good thing about it, though, fellows."

"Good thing?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Ted, who had s.n.a.t.c.hed out his handkerchief and was trying to keep from inhaling more air than was absolutely necessary.

"Why, yes," Elmer went on, "for once George here doesn't doubt but that he gets it. You don't hear him asking questions now. He _knows_ it's here with us. He's getting his dose, all right, ain't you, George?"

"Look, there he comes!" gasped Landy, pointing to a moving figure that was pawing a way through the neighboring thicket.

"Ach! vat iss de matter mit me? I feels like I vas goin' to faint!"

exclaimed a complaining voice.

"For goodness' sake do it out there, then!" screamed Landy. "Don't you dare come into camp with that terrible smell hanging to you. Sit down where you are, and listen to what we've got to say. Oh, gracious, I can't get my breath! Elmer, you tell him!"

"Py chimineddy, dis makes me some drouples! It peats all der limpurger cheese I ever saw. Vat vos idt, Elmer? I am nodt choking, tell me vot I dood," Adam asked, with a beseeching air, for he was almost overcome by the fumes.

"Well, if you ain't choking, we are; so you stay there," George remarked.

"How did it happen, Adam?" asked Elmer, trying to stop laughing, for he knew that after all this was apt to be a serious piece of business for the other.

But the German boy only shook his head and coughed, as he tried to get his breath.

"Idt iss some foolishness py me; but, poys, I don't know vot it iss already yet. I vos vandering apout der voods, enchoying mineself, ven I see der prettiest little squirrel dot ever vos, mit a nice white stripe, und a pushy tail. I d.i.n.ks dot he look like he vill pe friends mit me, und so I yust hold out mine hand und call him; put pefore I could take hold mit him, I d.i.n.k I step on von of dem musherooms mit der awful smell. Ach! it vos so pad I haf to get oudt right avay, und come pack to der gamp. I'm von sick Dutchman, poys, pelieve me. I d.i.n.k me I must pe going to die right avay qvick."

"I should think you had died a week ago," cried George.

"He thought the skunk was a pretty squirrel," said Ty; "and he was going to make a pet of it, think of that, fellows!"

They laughed and coughed by turns. One minute the comical side of the event appealed to them, as they saw poor Adam standing there looking so forlorn; then as if by magic their humor turned, and they began to wonder what in the wide world could be done.

"We just can't stand this much longer, Elmer," said Landy. "Make him go away off in the woods and bury himself."

"Well, one thing's sure," remarked the patrol leader. "He's got to get rid of every st.i.tch he has on him. We'll have to rig him out the best we can afterwards."

Adam set up a howl upon hearing this.

"I pelieve it might wash oudt in der river!" he declared.

"Not in a thousand years," Landy made answer. "The only chance for you is to go off and bury your clothes--everything you've got on. Then get in the water, and try to get rid of the smell from your hair. Lucky thing it's cut short. Oh, ain't this the meanest luck, though?"