CHAPTER V
FRIENDS AT THE FARM
On the way home, Sherwood explained how he chanced to be one of thesearch party.
"You see, the Chief---that's what we call our Scout Master---wascalled back to New York on business for a few days, perhaps a week;so he left Arthur and me at Tom's farm, because it's only aboutfive miles from Pioneer Camp. And when your mother telephonedto Tom, saying that you hadn't turned up all day, Ralph, and thatshe feared something terrible had happened to you, we insisted ongoing with Tom to look for you. But Tom said-----"
"I said she oughtn't to stay in the house all alone to-night,"Tom put in readily, "so I told Arthur to stay with her until DoctorKane showed up. I knowed it was his day to call at your house. See?"
"Yes, yes; I understand," Ralph replied in a shaky voice. "It'smighty good of you all to take so much trouble."
"Tush! 'Taint no trouble, lad! Why, anybody wouldn't refuse to dosech a small favor for your ma. Even Bill Terrill---he dropped inat your place to-day---even that cuss offered to go out and find you when he heard the news from her."
"Terrill! What was he doing at the farm to-day?"
"He drove over with ol' Si Perkins and two other wise guys, to getpermission from your ma to------"
"Oh, I know! I know what they want!" exclaimed Ralph. "The mean,cowardly sneaks! They shan't bully mother into letting themsurvey our land, on the faked excuse that the survey dad had madeisn't correct."
"What 'ud they want to do that for?" queried Tom.
"Because Perkins wants to annex a piece of our property, sink ashaft in it, and see if the ground promises to yield any iron.He claims that the piece he wants, which is our northeast cornerthree-acre, really belongs to him."
"Can't the dispute be settled by law?" Tom asked, in surprise.
"It was---once. But now the old grafter has dug up some technicality."
"And you've got to fight him, eh?" said Tom. "Well, go to it, lad!Go to it! I'll stand by you!"
"Why doesn't he experiment on his own land?" was Tom's next question,born of a lively interest he felt in the controversy.
"Because the B.N. and C. Railroad wants to run a branch line fromOakvale over to the main line, in a big loop, and Perkins mayhave a chance to sell some of his land. That's why he doesn'twant to have it dug up, at present; he may strike ore. And that'swhy he's going to have his whole property surveyed."
"Ralph," said young Sherwood, after listening thoughtfully to hisnew friend's explanation, "you know the railroad company will havea survey made, on their own hook. Now it seems to me, if you knowanything about surveying, that it would be a good chance for youto join the railroad's surveyors and get in a little fine work on_your_ side of the fence, so to speak. Don't you think so?"
"I never thought of that!" Ralph eagerly responded. "That's akeen idea! Much obliged to you for it! You can bet I'll try."
Talking thus, the four beguiled much of the long tramp back tothe farmhouse; Ralph almost forgot the pain of his injuries.A bond of friendship seemed already to have drawn him and Sherwoodtogether: a bond which was destined to be strengthened not onlyby the adventure of this night but also by many future adventureswhich they would share.
"There's a light yonder!" exclaimed Jack, suddenly, waving hislantern as he spoke. "Somebody has seen us 'way off, and is comingto meet us."
He guessed right. As they approached the farmhouse they discernedin the darkness a figure coming toward them with a stable lantern.The figure swung this light to and fro, up and down, in wig-wagsignaling, and Tom replied by whistling shrilly two short blasts,which meant "All right, we're coming." Then the figure hailedthem with a whoop of joy, and ran forward.
It was Arthur Cameron. Leaving Mrs. Kenyon in Doctor Kane's charge,he had slipped out of the house by the kitchen door so that hisimpatience and anxiety might not be observed, and, obtaining thestable lantern, he had gone forth to see if the search party wasnot yet returning.
When Ralph entered the house, leaning on Sherwood and Arthur, hismother burst into tears of thankfulness for his return and ofpride in what he had achieved. She was distressed on learningabout his sprained ankle, and, following Doctor Kane's directions,she lost no time in the preparation of hot and cold applicationsand bandages. Ralph was sent to bed as soon as he had modestlyrelated his adventures, and had drunk a hot milk-punch (whichhe declared was "nasty") in order to offset any chill which hemight have contracted by sleeping out in the open.
"As if I weren't used to sleeping practically in the open, everynight of the year!" he complained to Sherwood, as he slid downbetween the sheets, which his mother had carefully warmed.
"Do as you're told, and don't grumble, old top!" laughingly repliedTom. "Hope your wounds and sprains and bruises and so forth willbe much better tomor-----I mean, later in the day. It's 2 A.M. now.Good night!"
"Good night! I'll see you later."
It was arranged that Doctor Kane, Tom, and the boys should spend theremainder of the night there; Mrs. Kenyon would not hear of any oneof them going over to Tom's house at that hour. So the doctorretired to the spare bedroom, Sherwood and Arthur occupied a broadcouch or divan in the little parlor, where Tom Walsh and hisyoung cousin slept even more comfortably on an extra mattresson the floor. Everyone was in good spirits, although tired andvery sleepy; and the sun was high in the heavens before any oneof that household awoke.
Anyone? No, not quite; for, with characteristic thoughtfulness,Tom Walsh, waking earlier than the others, stole quietly out intothe kitchen and began to make the fire and grind the coffee forbreakfast. Mrs. Kenyon, hearing him, came downstairs at once.She, alone, had scarcely slept at all that night. Her fearsfor Ralph's health, as well as the thought of having soon to goall the way to New York with Doctor Kane and undergo an operation,had banished slumber. Seeing Walsh engaged in his kindly efforts,she smiled as she laid a restraining hand on his arm.
"Tom Walsh, you dear man, go right back and get your forty winks!"she said. "What do you mean by this?---and in my house, too!"
"You think I can't cook breakfast, eh? I want you to know I'm afust-class cook!" said Tom, in genial protest. "Sit down there,now, and let me-----"
"I won't! You're a good soul, Tom, and I know you'll make a husbandthat any sensible woman'll be proud of, because I can see you'vebeen well trained. By the way, Tom, how's Sue Turpin nowadays? Andwhen will she name the happy day?"
Tom colored up to the roots of his thin, sandy, curly hair. SoMrs. Kenyon, too, had heard of his wooing of Susan Turpin, themiller's daughter! Well, why not, since it had become a pleasanttopic of gossip in the countryside? But he made no immediate reply,except a grin, and Mrs. Kenyon continued tactfully:
"Yes, an excellent husband, Tom---but never a cook. Your dearold mother told me, the last time she came over to see me, thatyou can no more cook than you can fly! And she thinks you'rean angel, too! So just you hand me that coffee-pot and that frying-pan,and trot out to the poultry house and get me some fresh eggs."
"All right, if you say so," assented Tom. "I'll feed the horse,too. Suppose Ralph won't be up an' around for quite a spell yet?"
"No; I guess not," answered Mrs. Kenyon, relapsing into a moreserious mood.
"Say, Mrs. Kenyon, why don't you ask them two Boy Scout friends ofhis to stay here and help him with the farm work while you're away?"was Tom's suggestion.
"Oh, I simply can't go away and leave the poor boy now!"
"Nonsense!" replied Tom. "You've got to go, if the doc says so.Anyway, Ralph'll be O.K. And them two boys'll be pleased to stay.I know they will. Take my advice and ask 'em."
"I'll---I'll see."
When Doctor Kane was consulted on the subject, he pronounced Tom'ssuggestion a good one, provided the three boys could manage toget their meals properly. This they vowed they could do; so Kane,considering it best to take Mrs. Kenyon to the hospital for treatmentas soon as convenient, urged her to consent to the plan. He leftthe farmhouse,
after a delicious breakfast, taking Tom Walsh andJack home in his car,---also the golden eagles, which he promisedto deliver to Professor Whalen that very day.
Two days later he returned with a check for one hundred and fiftydollars, and a letter expressing the professor's complete satisfactionat having obtained the fine specimens. When he returned to Oakvaleagain, Mrs. Kenyon went with him, in his care.
The parting of mother and son was a tearful one, though Ralph,choking down the big lump in his throat, tried manfully to cheerhis mother with every hope of recovery.
"It won't be very long before you're home again and everything'llseem wonderful and bright and new to you, mother," he said. "Anddon't you worry about me, for I'm getting along fine. I can hobblearound quite spry with this crutch. And Tom and Arthur are on deck,you know. We'll behave ourselves and not get into any mischief,and by the time you're home again we'll have done all the planting.Good-bye, good-bye! I'll write to you every day."
Boy Scouts of the Geological Survey Page 5