CHAPTER IX.
REASONING THAT LOOKED LIKE MAGIC
The two new scouts, Landy Smith and Phil Dale, watched every action of Elmer with wonder and the deepest interest.
"I never knew before there was so much in this business," the former kept declaring to Matty, who chanced to keep near him. "Why, he doesn't seem to have any great trouble finding where Dolph went along, and yet for the life of me I can't see a blessed sign of a footprint."
"Well," laughed Matty, "for that matter neither can some of the rest of us, but we're keen to learn; and I know I'm picking up new points all the time. You see Elmer lived away out in the Canadian Great West, where he mixed up with cowboys, hunters and all such chaps. That's where he learned lots of things that just fit in the scouting line like pie."
"What's he going to do now?" demanded Landy, seeing their leader coming to a sudden halt, and waving for the others to approach.
"He wants to show us something," replied Matty. "You see, Elmer is anxious that every member of the troop, whether he belongs to the Wolf Patrol, the Beaver, or the new Eagle that is being formed, shall be as well posted in woodcraft as he is himself. So even while we're following up this trail, bent on business, he finds interesting things now and then to explain to us."
As the entire group of scouts gathered around where the leader bent over the ground, Elmer pointed downward, saying:
"Here's something, fellows, that I thought you ought to take note of. It may be of considerable benefit to you at some time or other, when perhaps you're passing through a test of trail following. I suppose every one of you can see this plain track of Dolph's shoe here?"
"Sure!" replied a number of the boys, readily enough; for evidently Elmer had picked out a particularly prominent impression when starting in to paint his little lesson.
"I'm going to hazard the declaration that this track was made about seven this morning; that at the time Dolph was carrying the little girl in his arms, and probably holding his hand over her mouth in order to prevent her crying out loud so as to attract attention."
"Well, I declare, that's a whole heap to say, Elmer," remarked Toby; although the expression on his face was rather that of eagerness to hear more, than doubt concerning the ability of Elmer to make good his assertion.
As for the two new scouts, they were beyond saying anything, but could only gasp and exchange looks.
"Now, you are wondering how I know those three things," Elmer went on. "And perhaps some of you are thinking that I asked Mrs. Gruber what time it was when Dolph came home, and acted like a brute. But I didn't; and only know, like the rest of you, that it was some time this morning. But I happened to remember that there was a queer little shower early this morning. It stopped as suddenly as it began. All the way up to here I could see signs of water in the tracks, but you notice there are none in these footprints now. That shower quit at five minutes to seven in Hickory Ridge. Making allowance for the difference in distance, I reckon Dolph was right here when it let up, say at even seven."
"Gee! that's going some!" muttered Landy, who was listening with rapt attention.
"Now, about his carrying the girl – that's easy. The soil is so soft right here, that it would show even the small print of her shoes. I saw them just back yonder, where we passed the big oak tree, but there's never a sign here. It stands to reason Dolph wouldn't turn the child loose; and so he must have picked her up."
"Because she was getting worn out, do you think, Elmer?" asked Mark.
"Well, that may have been the cause; and yet, perhaps, he had another reason, which brings me to the third statement I made. He was holding his hand over her mouth! I'm only making a bold stab at that, fellows, and if you pay attention I'll try to explain on what I base my views."
"Sure we will, Elmer; you've got us all tuned up to top notch," remarked Red.
"And as for me," said Landy, helplessly, "I'm in a fog, drifting about, and not knowing where I'll land. For the life of me I can't see how you figure out such wonderful things, Elmer."
"Listen, then," went on the acting scout master, "up to near here the trail led along in a direct track. I could see that Dolph was following some line he had no doubt marked out for himself. Then suddenly he had darted aside. That was where he grabbed up the child, if the tracks stood for anything. Do you see where he began to move along so as to keep this fringe of bushes in front? All right. Mark, you walk over to that big clump, and tell me if there isn't plain marks there showing where Dolph knelt down. You can't mistake the impression of his knees, and where the toes of his shoes dug into the soil two feet below."
Mark thereupon hastened to obey, while the balance of the scouts awaited his report with mingled feelings of anxiety and hope.
They saw him bend over as though keenly observing.
Then Mark straightened up. His face was smiling, as he called out triumphantly:
"By all that's wonderful they're here, just as you said they would be, Elmer. I know a man knelt down as well as if I saw him. And wait, here's the tracks of little shoes again, just beside him."
"I supposed you would find her trail there," resumed Elmer, quietly, "because it stood to reason that as Dolph crouched down behind the bushes he would drop her on the ground; all the while, remember, possibly holding his hand over Ruth's little mouth to keep her from betraying him."
"If that don't beat the Dutch!" ejaculated Landy. "Do you mean to tell me you read all that just from the signs? After this I'll believe anything. Why, a fellow'd think you'd been right on the spot, and actually watched Dolph."
"But see here, Elmer," spoke up Red Huggins, perhaps thinking to get the leader in a hole, or else honestly seeking further enlightenment; "what ever made Dolph act in that silly way? Do you think he was going out of his head, and believin' the police were hot on his trail?"
Elmer smiled.
"I've been thinking of that, Red," he remarked, "and come to this conclusion. He must have heard voices, or else caught the sound of wheels over in that direction, for you see that he dropped down behind the bushes on the east side, showing the danger must have been to the west!"
All of the boys turned and stared in that quarter.
"Matty," said Elmer, "while the rest of us stay right here, suppose you start off directly west of this. Don't go out of sight; and unless my theory is all wrong you won't have to. Because I'll be mighty much surprised if you don't run across a road pretty quick!"
Of course Matty Eggleston made the utmost haste to comply with the directions of his chief. As leader of the Beaver Patrol he was decidedly interested in everything that pertained to woodcraft, and the way in which Elmer was showing the wonders of the forest trailer's art captivated him.
The rest of the scouts stood there, all eyes following the form of their companion as he made his way between the trees, avoiding such bushes as impeded his forward movements.
Would he find that the supposition of the trail follower was correct? Was there a road so close to them, hidden by the thick undergrowth?
Suddenly Matty whirled around. He made a gesture that told of delight almost beyond his ability to express. And then they heard his shout.
"Here's your old road, Elmer, I declare if it ain't, just as you said!"
"Bully for Elmer!" exclaimed the impulsive Red.
"Say, you've been up in this region before, haven't you, Elmer?" asked Phil Dale, who seemed to be the "Doubting Thomas" of the little flock; for these were things so remarkable he must believe the scout-master knew beforehand, or else was playing a practical joke on his comrades.
"Never in all my life," replied Elmer, and Phil believed him; then elevating his voice the leader called out: "Go on, and get to the road, Matty. I want you to take a look, and tell me if you can see the marks of rubber tires there in the mud or dust."
A minute later and the other shouted back:
"Just as sure as you live, fellows, I've found the marks where a car rushed past. Must have gone at a pretty sharp clip, too, because it sent the mud flying from this little depression here."
"Let's get over there with Matty," remarked Elmer. "We can come back here afterward and take up the trail again."
Two minutes later and the scouts stood on the road. It was only a country road, and not a general thoroughfare. Few vehicles passed during the day, and apparently it must be a sort of connecting link between turnpikes that ran parallel.
"The car was going in the same direction we are headed," announced Elmer, after looking at the marks.
"Well, I'll be blessed if I can see how you found that out," declared Phil, as he shook his head and looked puzzled.
"Oh! nothing could be more simple," declared Elmer. "In a case of this kind all a scout has to do is to keep his wits about him, and look sharp. Now, just as Matty guessed that this car was hitting up a pretty good pace when it went past, because it threw the soft mud to some little distance when it dashed through this puddle, so I examine some of the splashes on the leaves here by the roadside. And as you see, fellows, they are, without a single exception, all on this one side of leaves and the trunks of these close-by trees. Do you get on now, Phil?"
"Well, I declare, you are a wonder, Elmer Chenowith!" exclaimed the other, as his face lighted up. "I used to think it was only guesswork, this reading tracks; but now I can see that it's all figured out just like you'd get an algebra problem in school. Given one thing, and the other must follow dead sure. Of course that car was going north! It couldn't be anything else, because these mud splashes are every one on the south side of the leaves and trees."
"Well, this has been an eye-opener to me, fellows!" declared Landy, earnestly. "And I give you fair notice right now that I'm going to know a heap more about this fine business before I've been long in the Beaver Patrol."
"I say, Elmer, do you mean to tell us this car which Dolph heard coming, and hid to escape being seen – that it was the one we saw start out for Cramertown?" asked Red.
"No, it couldn't have been, for a good many reasons. That car didn't leave the cottage of Mrs. Gruber till just before we did, and that was plumb nine. You remember, I think I proved by the rain token, that Dolph was here at seven. So it must have been another car entirely – perhaps some people going to Rockaway or Hickory Ridge, and in a hurry. But Dolph, hearing them coming, and being afraid by reason of his guilt, hid behind the bushes, and, I imagine, must have clapped a hand over little Ruth's mouth. If the men in the machine heard a child's cry they might want to jump out and investigate, and Dolph wasn't going to take any chances."
"All this is mighty interesting, Elmer," said Mark; "and we think you've proved every point you made. What comes next on the program?"
"Back to the trail, and keep right along. Sooner or later I expect we're going to run this scoundrel to earth and make a prisoner of him. But he's got several hours' start of us yet," Elmer replied, leaving the road that had told them so much, and aiming once more for the clump of bushes where the impression of Dolph's two knees could be so plainly seen.
"But unless he's a regular trotter he ain't going to keep on the go long," remarked Lil Artha, confidently.
"Not much," declared Ted Burgoyne. "You thee, he's got that little girl along, and it thtands to reason Ruth ith about played out right here. Tho, fellows, the chances are Dolph he'll have to just pick her up and carry her. And with thuch a load why he'll thoon get tired and camp. That's where we'll have the hunch on him."
"Yes," Elmer went on, "I quite agree with Ted there, and expect that before another hour at least we'll run on our game."
Once more, then, he led the way, with an interested and enthusiastic bunch of scouts trailing close at his heels.
Frequently there would arise little problems that had to be solved. Now it was an apparent absence of marks, showing that the ground had grown more rocky, and no footprint appeared. Then again, Dolph followed a worn trail, so that it was necessary to make sure he stuck to this.
Elmer was equal to each and every demand upon his knowledge. When none of the other boys could discover a sign of tracks, he pointed out to where a stone had been overturned since the little shower had passed; or it might be calling their attention to a broken twig, a bruised leaf that had been trodden on, or in various other ways proved his point, as was made clear when a little later they would again run upon the footprints left by Dolph.
They had now come quite some distance, and a few of the fellows were showing signs of wishing to rest up for a brief interval. Elmer himself could stand any amount of fatigue without giving way, but there were untrained muscles among the scouts; and after all it was not so vital that they rush things.
"Here, let's rest for ten minutes or so, fellows," he remarked, as they came to a little bluff about fifteen or twenty feet in height, at the foot of which the trail seemed to run.
The boys threw themselves down on the ground, some of them glad of the chance to recuperate without having to show the white feather. It was very thoughtful of the leader, to be sure, displaying this regard for their natural pride.
"He sure can't be a great ways from here, Elmer?" remarked Matty. "Seems to me the trail has been growing fresher lately."
"That's right, it has," replied the other, nodding his head. "One place I found where Dolph had rested, I don't know how long, but perhaps half an hour; for the child walked again after they started, as if refreshed by the stop."
"Then we're apt to run on them any old time now?" suggested Toby, eagerly.
"Just what we are," Elmer answered, as he kept his face turned upward toward the top of the little bluff overhead.
"What you looking at, Elmer?" demanded Red Huggins, half starting up.
"Just cast your eyes up where that clump of grass grows, fellows," the leader said, pointing his finger; "I thought I saw something moving there, and – "
What he meant to say remained unspoken, for just then a slice of the edge of the bluff suddenly gave way, and amid a mass of earth a human figure came rolling down the sharp incline!
CHAPTER X.
GIVING MATT TUBBS A CHANCE
"Whoop! it's that Dolph, fellows!" cried Red, jumping to his feet, and showing signs of being prepared to fight if necessary; though scouts are supposed to resort to such methods only in cases of absolute necessity, and then generally in defense of some one weaker than themselves.
"Look at him turning somersaults, would you?" shouted Landy.
"Oh! my stars, what a header! He'll break his neck, sure!" exclaimed Toby.
The tumbling figure, with arms and legs flying every which way, landed in a heap close beside the bunch of startled scouts, every one of whom was now erect, and observing the dusty intruder with staring eyes.
"Wow! look at him, fellows! We've sure seen that gent before!" said Red, as the unfortunate spy sat up, and dug his knuckles into his eyes as if to clear them of the dust.
His nose was bleeding more or less, and he showed other signs of rough treatment; but apparently he had not been seriously hurt by his fall.
"It's Matt Tubbs!" remarked Elmer, with a smile, as though after all he was not so very much astonished at the phenomenon.
"Say, however did that chump get here?" demanded Toby.
"Yes, it's me, all right," remarked the object of their attention, with rather a sickly grin, as he started to get out a handkerchief to apply to his bleeding nose; "anyhow, it's what's left of me after that nasty tumble."
"Are you hurt bad, Matt?" demanded Dr. Ted, scenting an opportunity to practice his arts of healing; "because if you feel that you've broken a leg, or your collar bone, call on me for help. Won't charge you a cent either. Glad to cut off a limb or do any little favor. Don't be bashful, now; just thspeak up."
"Oh! rats, I ain't hurt so bad as that! I reckon I kin get up all right," and as he spoke Matt proceeded to prove the truth of his assertion by scrambling to his feet, though he winced a little as he did so.
"Where'd you ever come from?" demanded Matty. "We felt sure you'd gone off in that car with your father and the police, headed for Cramertown. Say, are they near here; and did they turn back?"
"Naw," grunted Matt. "I jumped out after I got to thinkin' about it. Seemed to me after what I saw Elmer Chenowith do yesterday up at the place of my aunt, that he'd be more apt to find that pesky Dolph Gruber than a pack of noisy cops. So I just follered the bunch, that's all."
And strange to say, Elmer felt more pride over hearing one who had been an enemy speak these words of praise than he would have been had his chums gone into ecstasies over his work as a trailer. He believed he knew what was going on in that mind of Matt. And he was not at all sorry for it, either. It might mean great things in the near future for both the Fairfield boys, and those of the Hickory Ridge troop.
"D'ye mean to tell us, Matt, you've been dodging after us right along, and none of us saw you?" demanded Red.
The Fairfield bully grinned; and as his broad face was by this time pretty well smeared with traces of blood, he presented a queer appearance while so doing.
"All the same, that's just what I done, Red," he declared. "Sometimes I was that clost I heard every word you fellers said. Then agin I dropped back, when the cover got thinner. An' right here let me say I was huggin' the ground all the time Elmer, he says such great things about the trail, an' the ottermobile on that road. Never knowed there could be so much diskivered by just peekin' at footprints. Gosh! 'twas great, that's what."
"Well, where are you going?" asked Toby, between whom and the Fairfield bully there was a long standing grudge.
"Same as you fellers, I reckon," grinned Matt.
"He means he wants to stick along with us, boys," remarked Red.
"Just like his impudence!" snarled Chatz, unable to bring himself to believe there was an atom of good in this hulking Fairfield leader, who had many a time started a fight when the boys of the rival towns tried to compete on the diamond, the gridiron, or at hockey on the ice of the Sweetwater River.
Matt heard these remarks, which were none too complimentary. He seemed to have made up his mind not to pay any attention to them, much as they must have set his fighting blood to coursing hotly through his veins.
His eyes were fastened on Elmer alone, as though he recognized the fact of his leadership, and that what he said was apt to go.
Elmer made up his mind immediately. He considered that this was too good an opportunity to be lost. Matt, the rough and ready fighter of the neighboring town, was at the crossroads. A very little thing would turn him one way or the other. He might be said to be groping in the dark. And what scout worthy of the name would forget his vows, and turn a cold shoulder upon a seeker after light?
So he turned toward Matt a face that was filled with encouragement; and even before the leader of the Wolf Patrol had spoken a single word Matt realized that his case was as good as won.
"Would you mind telling us, Matt," said Elmer, pleasantly, "just why you want to go along with us now?"
"Sure not," came the ready answer. "I said, didn't I, that when I saw what blundering fools them jay cops were, I believed there was a heap more chance of Elmer trackin' Dolph Gruber? Well, that's one reason why I want to go along; 'cause I reckon you're just goin' to get that critter, while the police are waitin' for him to show up in Cramertown, where he never meant to go at all."
"But, Matt, there is another reason?" persisted Elmer.
"There be," replied the bully, with one of his grins.
"Tell us what it is," asked Mark.
"Well, you fellers know we're startin' a troop over in Fairfield, don't you?" Matt replied. "I've heard a lot 'bout what this here Elmer Chenowith knowed concernin' woodcraft an' such things. When I seen him take holt of my uncle yest'day, and fix him up just like a reg'lar doctor might, when I didn't know the fust blamed thing to do, says I to myself, says I, 'It's time you was findin' out all 'bout what this here scout business means; 'cause thar's a heap more connected with it than fightin'.' An' I want to be along to see what else Elmer kin show us, when the trail she grows dim. There seems to be somethin' in here," and he clapped a hand on his breast, "that just wants to larn 'bout these things. Never felt just this way afore, give you my word I ain't. Kin I go, Elmer?"
The scout leader gave a quick glance at his chums. Several nodded, hardly knowing themselves why they did it, save that somehow they had been affected by what the bully of Fairfield had just said.
"I don't think a single scout will raise any objection to your keeping along with us, Matt," Elmer said, seriously. "Only for the time being you must promise to be bound by the same rules that the rest are."
"Promise anything, Elmer, so's you let me go 'long," declared the other. "Now what d'ye want of me?"
"Only that you agree to obey orders," Elmer said.
"Whose orders?" demanded Matt, quickly.
"I happen to represent our scout-master, Mr. Garrabrant," answered the leader of the Wolf Patrol; "and in his absence the members of the troop look to me to command."
Matt grinned some more, and nodded cheerfully.
"Sure I'll do whatever you say while I'm along, Elmer," he declared. "And when we ketch up with that coward Dolph, I hope you set me on him. I'm just boiling over for a fight; and he'll get his medicine or else my name is Mud."
"That's just it, Matt," remarked Elmer. "We hope not to have to fight at all, if we can manage to get the child away from her stepfather. But one thing I will promise you, Matt – if there should be any need of strong-arm action, I'll call on you to do your share. You'll be on the firing line."
"All right, Elmer; and now forget I'm along, and just go on like you would if I hadn't come tumbling down that pesky slope like a bag of oats. Wow! my elbows must be skinned to beat the band."
And Elmer knew full well that after that his every movement would be watched by Matt with the utmost eagerness. A new world was opening up to this rough boy of Fairfield; through the open door he was beginning to catch enticing glimpses of things he had never dreamed existed on this earth. And Elmer could not find it in his heart to close that door that was ajar.
So they started again.
Whenever there came a brief halt, as the trailer found a temporary hitch in his work, Matt Tubbs invariably pressed to the front, and had eyes and ears only for the one whom he had begun to take as his pattern. And knowing his utter ignorance along the line of reading signs, Elmer took especial pains to explain just why he did this thing or that.
It was an object lesson that was apt to prove invaluable to every fellow who clustered around "the boy who knew." Besides the information they thus picked up, the fascination of the thing appealed strongly to their inquiring minds; and as a consequence, every fellow would make it a point to study the gentle arts of woodcraft more and more, as opportunities for doing so arose.
They had gone possibly another mile when Elmer came to a halt, and raised his hand in a way that told his companions he wanted them to stop.
"No noise, please, now, fellows," he said, in a low tone; and the manner of his saying this struck most of the scouts as highly significant.
"Thay, are we near him now?" asked Ted, in a hoarse whisper – he had been keeping close to Matt all the while, from time to time suggesting something in the way of relief from the aches and pains the Fairfield boy was suffering, even to the extent of promising to bind up his skinned elbows at the first chance.
"I believe we are," replied the leader, in the same cautious voice; "in fact, he may right now be within a hundred yards of where we are standing!"