The Banner Boy Scouts Afloat Part 18

"Eight feet, last time; now it's about seven, short," announced Jud.

"Keep on sounding, and when it gets down to three, let me know,"

ordered Paul.

They were creeping along at a snail's pace now, so even should either boat strike mud bottom, which Jud had declared it to be, no particular damage would result.

The sh.o.r.e was very close, and still Jud admitted that there was plenty of water.

"Keeps up in great shape, Commodore," he remarked, "reckon we could go ash.o.r.e here if we felt that way."

"Which we don't," declared Gusty Bellows, in a low tone.

And not a single voice was raised in favor of such a proceeding; if there were any timid souls present, they failed to exhibit their weakness, either through fear of boyish ridicule, or some other reason.

Then Paul shut off power, and when he no longer heard the sound of the _Comfort's_ exhaust, Jack followed suit.

"We'll hang out here for half an hour, and then head back,"

explained Paul.

"The outlet isn't far away from here; is it?" Joe Clausin asked.

"Not very far--on the right," Paul replied. "I had that in mind when choosing to come this way. You see, if we were intending to only go ash.o.r.e, they'd expect to see a fire burning somewhere. As it is, they'll be sure to think we've dropped down into the Radway, preferring to risk all sorts of danger from the rocks and snags there, rather than stay here another night."

"Makes me think of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow," remarked Nat Smith in the other motorboat.

"Oh! come off, will you?" ridiculed Bobolink. "Napoleon was a good one, but not in the same cla.s.s with _us_. He never came back, like we're going to do. This retreat is only a fine piece of strategy, remember, while his was in deadly earnest."

They talked in low tones that were cousins to whispers, and certainly could not be heard half way over to the mysterious island, even though water does make the finest conductor of sound possible, as every boy knows.

Finally, when about half an hour had gone, Paul said it was time to make a fresh start. He had thought it all out, and while taking one pole himself, asked the expert, Jud, to handle the other in their boat.

Jack and Tom Betts were to look after those in the _Speedwell_; for the scout master knew that Tom could be very careful, given a job that required caution.

They took their time, and by degrees Paul led the way across the shallow part of the lake. Bobolink had aptly described their movement, when he said it reminded him of the words in the song: "He came right in, and turned around and walked right out again."

Now it was so dark that most of the scouts found themselves confused as to their bearings, the minute they lost sight of the trees along the sh.o.r.e. Some wondered how Paul was going to go straight back over their recent course, when he did not have even the stars to guide him.

But then, there were many other things he did have, one of which was the slight breeze that blew in his face, and which had been directly behind them at the time they left the island.

Slowly and laboriously, in comparison with their other trip, the scouts crossed the stretch of water. And when finally those who were so eagerly watching out for that cedar on the top of the little elevation in the middle of the island whispered to Paul that it was dead ahead, they realized with wonder that the pilot had led them in a direct line back over their course.

Now they altered the line of advance a little. This was in order to approach the island about the place where the little bay extended into its side, as described by Jack. And Paul allowed the other to take the lead, since Jack would be more familiar with the locality than he himself might feel.

Noiselessly did the two boats enter that miniature bay, and glide along until close to the bank, where the overhanging trees afforded the protection they wanted, in order to conceal the craft.

Landing was next in order, and then all their things must again be taken ash.o.r.e, from tents and blankets, to cooking kettles and eatables.

By now the scouts had reduced many of these things to a system. Every boy knew just what was expected of him; and presently there was a procession of burden bearers carrying things into the brush along a certain trail, once in a while perhaps stumbling a little, but keeping strict silence.

They seemed to enjoy it hugely, too. Their nerves tingled while carrying out this part of the programme--at least, Bobolink said he had such a feeling, and doubtless several more were in the same condition.

Of course there were those who trembled with antic.i.p.ation of some sudden alarm. And then again, others might be beginning to think they would soon nearly "cave away" with the empty feeling they had; that was what Old Dan Tucker confided in a whisper to Joe Clausin, resting firm in the belief that none of the others knew about the pocket full of crackers, that he called "life preservers"--which, alas, were all gone now, to the last crumb.

Paul led the line and picked out the easiest method of reaching the place he had selected for the new camp among the rocks and trees. It was in a depression, too, the others noticed, when he told them to drop their bundles. That would enable them to have a little fire, since it could not be seen as it would be if they were on a level, or an elevation. And really, a fire was necessary, if Paul meant they should have any supper at all.

"As we brought about all we need, there's no use of making another trip to the boats," Paul remarked in a low tone; from which the others judged that conversation was not going to be entirely cut out, only they must not elevate their voices above a certain pitch, so long as things were as quiet as at present.

Now began the task of getting the three tents in position again. And well had the scouts learned their lesson in this particular; some of them even going so far as to declare that they could do the job with their eyes blindfolded, so familiar were they with every part of the operation.

"Like learning type-writin' by touch in school," Bobolink had said.

After all the tents had been raised, and the blankets placed inside, Paul gave permission for a small cooking fire to be made.

To some boys a fire is always a fire, no matter what its intended use; but the scout who has camped out soon gets to know that there is a vast difference between a camp fire, for instance, and one meant only for getting meals over.

The former may be composed of great logs and branches that send up a cheery and brilliant blaze; but which is next to useless when the cook wants to get close in, and attend to his various kettles and frying pans.

Sometimes a hole is scooped out of the ground, and the fire for cooking made in that, especially when on level ground, and danger exists of hostile eyes discovering the blaze, however small.

As a rule, however, such a fire is made about after this fas.h.i.+on: Two logs may be used, if they have flat surfaces, having been more or less squared off; but when stones can be procured they are to be preferred.

Two sides are fas.h.i.+oned out of flat stones, somewhat in the shape of the letter V, only not having the line quite so p.r.o.nounced. Thus a coffeepot will rest snugly over the smaller end, while the big frying pan cozily covers the larger.

The fire need only be small, but when the cooking commences, there should be for the most part red embers in the fireplace, capable of sending up great heat, with but a minimum of blaze. And there a cook can work in comfort, without dodging back every time a fierce blaze darts toward him, threatening to singe his eyebrows, and shorten his crop of hair.

Jud knew just how to make such a fire, and as they would need several, in order to cook for such a host, some of the other boys busied themselves in copying what he did. They had seen him make such a stone fireplace before, any way, and some of them had practiced the art in private, being desirous of knowing how to do many of the things the leaders were so proficient in.

Soon they had more light, when Jud got his fire started; and it was then that the boys realized just how fitting that spot was for a hidden camp. Their tents could not be seen thirty feet away; and as for the small amount of light made by the three cooking fires, little danger of it being noticed, unless some one were close by, and actually stumbled on the spot.

In fact, the greatest chance they had of being discovered, as Paul well knew, did not come from any sense of sight or hearing, but that of smell.

Should the odors from their supper chance to be carried across the island, and in the direction of where these men were staying, they might begin to suspect something was wrong, and start an investigation that would lead to the discovery of the new camp.

But Paul had also noticed that the night breeze was doing them another good service; it had helped him find his way back to the island through the darkness resting on the big lake; and now, blowing toward the distant sh.o.r.e, the odors of cooking coffee, and frying ba.s.s would be taken entirely away.

And anyhow, there were eighteen half-starved scouts who had to be fed, come what might. So the cooking went on apace, and in due time supper was announced as ready. At which more than a few of the waiting lads heaved sighs of satisfaction, and Old Dan Tucker, as usual, managed to be the first to sit down.

CHAPTER XVII

PITCHING TENTS IN THE "SINK"

"This thing is giving us lots of good practice at making camp, and that's something," Bobolink remarked while he ate, always taking care to keep his voice down to a low pitch, so it would not carry far on the night air; though for that matter the wind had increased by now and was making quite some noise through the tops of the trees around them.

"I'd like to see anybody put up tents faster and better than we did right here," declared Frank Savage; who had by now about recovered from the feeling of sickness which came so near keeping him at home, when the expedition was formed.

"And as for fires, these couldn't be beat," observed Spider s.e.xton, as he began to catch glimpses of the bottom of his tin platter, after making away with some of the food that had been piled high on it by the cook of his mess.