The Boy Scouts of the Geological Survey Part 10

"Well, how does it strike you, Spike,---this idea of a summer school?" inquired Cooper Fennimore the next morning as the Foxes came back from their early dip in the lake.

"Um,---well," replied Spike slowly, rubbing his chin as he had seen old men do when in deep thought, "how does it strike you?"

"Ex-actly right, now that I've thought it all over," responded Cooper. "At first I was enthusiastic because the Lieutenant was and because the rest took it up like wild-fire.

"Then, last night after the camp was quiet, I began to think it looked like all work and no play; like a pretty strenuous vacation after months of hard study, you know!" Cooper looked at spike and gravely winked.

"Oh, yes, you old fraud!" jeered spike, poking his chum in the ribs.

"We all know that you are almost worn out with mental application!"

"But, finally," continued Cooper, doubling up slightly at the friendly nudge but giving no further attention to the interruption, "finally, I concluded that if my health could stand the strain, I would like nothing better than this nice stiff little course in ground work."

"'Ground work,' eh? Look here, Cooper, it is too early in the day to attempt a pun."

"Pun? Not at all," Cooper retorted. "Don't you know my present ambition? _To-day_---whatever my aspiration may be to-morrow---_to-day_ I mean to fit myself for architecture and landscape gardening.

And when in the misty future you see the name of Architect Cooper Fennimore, Adviser in Extra-ordinary to the President-----"

Cooper darted into the Fox-Otter cabin as Spike dashed at him again, and continued:

"------_then_ you will remember when you studied the ground work of his profession with him!"

Their conversation was resumed a little later, when, rubbed down, clothed, and neatly brushed, the two boys responded to the mess call.

"But say, Cooper," said Spike, "were you in earnest about liking the summer school scheme and wanting to be a landscape artist?"

"I surely was, were, and am," replied Cooper, as the boys slipped into their places. "I've been watching my uncle-in-law build a house and lay out his grounds, and if I couldn't hit on a better plan than his, I'd-----"

"Dig a hole, crawl in, and pull the hole after you?" prompted Spike as Cooper paused for a comparison.

"Just about," agreed the other; and then both boys found their nearest ambitions fully met by the camp cook's incomparable bacon and eggs.

After breakfast the news was quickly circulated that no further plans were to be divulged until afternoon and that the boys were free to continue their baseball practice.

Soon by twos and three and fours, with b.a.l.l.s, bats, and gloves, the scouts drifted over to the diamond.

"I'm mighty glad that you are in for all this study course that's coming, Ralph," said Torn Sherwood as they sauntered along.

"So am I," responded Ralph promptly. "It is more than kind of Lieutenant Denmead to ask me to remain for it. I shan't feel so green when I go to the School of Mines, you know, either, for this Mr. Thayer is a graduate and I can learn a lot from him. Then it means so much to be with you fellows! It has been a lonely place on the farm sometimes!"

"I can believe that," agreed Arthur Cameron, who had joined the boys and overheard their conversation. "Just the few days I was out there showed me what it might be."

"Come on, fellows!" urged d.i.c.k Bellamy, swinging two bats in large circles as though they were Indian clubs. "We're going to beat our best records to-day, you know!"

All this interested Ralph Kenyon immensely and for a few weeks his concern for his own personal affairs was merged with the pleasures and the novelty of the life in camp. Often he wished that he had more time to spend with these boys, who welcomed him to their fellows.h.i.+p, although he was not even a tenderfoot, with hearty good will and friendliness. Whatever Ralph did, work or play, he did with all his heart. He entered into the games and recreations "for all he was worth," and won the regard of his companions.

His ability as a ballplayer was no less of a surprise to them than it was to himself, for he had not played ball since his junior year in high school. His pitching proved to be clever and varied, his delivery of the horsehide sphere being as good as Tom Sherwood's---which is no faint praise.

Early that same afternoon the boys learned that the schedule promised by the Scout Master was posted on the wall of his cabin, and that a.s.sistant Rawson had been dispatched to Oakvale for the supplies listed in Ransom Thayer's outline for study and practice.

"The notice says that Mr. Thayer will begin work, with us at nine o'clock sharp next Monday morning," announced Don Miller of the Foxes.

He had already seen the bulletin and made some inquiries of Lieutenant Denmead, in order to coach his patrol more intelligently.

"Are there any 'points' for knowledge of trees and plants?" asked Shorty McNeil.

"I didn't read everything carefully, Shorty," replied Don, "but I do remember the word 'vegetation.' Maybe that will cover your specialty."

"I hope so," was the earnest rejoinder. "I can't do anything with the mathematical end of this stunt, I tell you right now. But leaves, and flowers, and different kinds of bark!---they are as easy to read as print! And I would like to bring in a point or two for our patrol."

At this moment Walter Osborne approached, walking rapidly from the direction of headquarters.

"Hullo, Don," he called. "Have you seen the schedule? Great, isn't it? Brings in about all our scoutcraft up to date!"

Walter hurried on, scarcely waiting to hear Don's reply in his eagerness to overtake Blake Merton.

"I say, Blake," he began enthusiastically on reaching the fellow-hawk, "do you know that this geological survey is going to give us fine training in signaling? I hadn't realized it before, but maybe you have, because of your experience over at Ralph's."

"Yes, I was interested in the simple system the railroad men used,"

Blake responded. "It is an eye and hand language worth learning."

"Well, I confess that I know nothing about it. And I didn't pick up much from the work we had here while you were away. With all credit to the Lieutenant, he does not know the practical side of geological surveying, and while he interested us all, he did not give us the real stuff that we shall get with Mr. Thayer."

"True for you," responded Blake. "All the fellows felt that way after the tests last night, I guess. Those questions showed them how few facts they had really learned. It was not hard for Bud and me, because we have both had experience before now."

Meanwhile Bud Morgan himself was in the midst of a group of eager Wolves.

"You must coach us, Bud," Arthur Cameron said. "We shall miss Hugh and Billy in this, but you must see that they hear a good report of us when it is over."

"That's right," agreed the other boys.

"Let's make Bud Morgan our patrol leader until Hugh comes back," cried little Jack Durham, the recruit of last season.

"All in favor?" yelled Arthur. "Hands up!"

Hands and voices rose together and a united "_How-ooo-ooo_!"

rent the air.

"All right, fellows, I'll do my best," said Bud Morgan as the noise stopped. "I'll try to act in Hugh's place, just as Tom Sherwood is doing for Alec, if you will all stand by!"

"We will," promised the boys.

"Then listen! Mr. Thayer is going to put us through a big course in a little time. We shan't like all the work, perhaps, but we shall each like something,---for it touches so many things. There are the long tramps in the fresh air, the measuring of distances, the a.n.a.lyzing of the soil, the naming of the trees and plants, the locating of mineral deposits, and the working out of problems."

Bud paused for breath, holding one hand poised with fingers outspread, just as he had been counting them off as so many points to note.

"Now, then," he continued, "it's up to us to listen and learn,---and to beat the other fellows to it!"

"_How-ooo-ooo_!" came an approving chorus.