CHAPTER VI
A RED LETTER DAY IN THE WOODS
Both Hugh and Ralph looked serious when their comrade made thisannouncement.
"That's a tough deal on you, old fellow!" said the latter, feelingthat it must mean considerable to Bud to have his idea stolen justwhen it was giving promise of being a signal success.
"Sure you left them there on the pile of blankets, are you?" askedever practical Hugh.
"That's right, he did," Ralph volunteered. "I remember seeing somepapers there when I went out, and I was the last to leave, you know.And you say that they've clean disappeared, have they, Bud?"
"Come on in and see if either of you have sharper eyes than I seem tohave," the other scout demanded.
Accepting the invitation, Hugh and Ralph bustled about for severalminutes, hunting all through the interior of the shack, but withoutany success.
"Nothing here, that's sure," admitted the patrol leader. "It wascareless of you to leave your precious plan behind when you went totry the model out."
Bud scratched his tousled head as though endeavoring to collect hiswits.
"Let me see," he started to say, slowly; "don't blame me if I'm allmixed up over this business. I've waited so long for this time tocome that I'm sure rattled, that's what's the matter. What did Ilay down here? Some parts of the plans for the model, that goeswithout saying; but seems like I've got a paper in my pocket rightnow. Let's see, I honestly believe that it's the key to theinvention. Just what it is, boys; and without this, nobody'd everknow what all those markings on the other papers were meant for."
"Then it's all right, after all?" asked Hugh, smiling again when hesaw that suggestive grin on his comrade's face.
"It seems that I can make an aeroplane fool proof, when all thetime the fool killer ought to get hold of me," Bud confessed contritely."It was certainly careless of me to leave any part of my preciouspapers floating around, and only good luck has saved me from beingleft high and dry. But perhaps those fellows will think they'vegot hold of some remarkable design. They might crack their brainstrying to make it out, and then not learn a single thing. Whena fellow laughs last, he's going to laugh best, believe me."
"Well, next time be more careful, that's all," advised Ralph. "Youcan't always count on being so lucky. An inventor ought to keep hissecrets locked up, and not let them lie around loose. You'll findthat there are plenty of sly thieves ready to steal ideas, as wellas money and jewels. An idea that's worth a fortune can be cribbeda heap easier than the coin itself."
"Only a part of the morning's gone," announced Hugh. "How shall weput in the rest of the day?"
"Oh! I'll be pretty busy making repairs to my model," Bud replied."You two fellows can find plenty to interest you both. Only don'troam too far afield in looking up interesting things. With thatmysterious pair hanging out around here, I won't feel any too easyin my mind. My idea may be worth a cool million, you know."
While Bud was working diligently, the other two amused themselvesfirst of all by closely examining the ground just before the door ofthe cabin.
"Here you can see several imprints of that fine pair of shoes," Ralphsaid almost immediately; "and that makes it look as though the manwho wore them really did slip inside while we were away. Chances are,he wonders what boys wearing khaki suits like the regular soldiers ofthe army are up here for. You agree with me, don't you, Hugh?"
"It looks that way," admitted the other. "Here you see one of theimpressions has stopped short only a few inches from the door, as ifthe man stood here listening before stepping in, after carefullyremoving the piece of rope we fixed to hold the door shut from theoutside."
"But how do you know that that impression wasn't made twenty-fourhours ago?" asked Bud, who was sitting cross-legged close by andlistening to their talk, even while he worked at his broken wing tip.
"Nothing could be easier," replied Hugh. "Here's the foot mark Ipurposely made when I came out of the cabin last, and you can seethat he stepped into the same place. That tells us he was here_afterward_. Get that, don't you, Bud?"
"I'd be a donkey if I didn't, and not worthy of being called a scout,"the other boy remarked with scathing emphasis. "Fact is, if my mindwasn't so much wrapped up with this aeroplane stability device, Icouldn't have missed seeing that little trick myself if I'd lookedthe ground over; because that happens to be one of the first thingsI ever learned about tracking and trailing."
"Even if the sneak didn't get anything worth while," Ralph continuedindignantly, "the fact that they seem to be hanging out around hereseems to tell that they must have a good reason for it all. The moreI get to thinking about it, the less I feel like saying we'd betterlet the thing alone because it doesn't concern us. When things cometo such a pass that unknown persons even sneak into your cabin inyour absence and steal what they believe to be valuable papers, it'shigh time to take a hand in the business. And if while we'rewandering around here we happen to run across those two men, I'llfeel like asking what they mean by poking their noses into Bud'sprivate business."
"Hear! hear!" said Bud, pretending to clap his hands; "that's thesort of a chum to stack up with. Ralph's the kind to stick to afellow through thick and thin. And please inform that tallerwalking mystery for me, Ralph, that I feel like telling him tohis face that he's a thief. Will, too, if ever I get half a chance."
Pretty soon Hugh and Ralph changed the subject of conversation andwandered off together, talking earnestly about the habits ofmuskrats and mink and otter. It was pretty late in the year to domuch in the way of tracking, but Ralph knew several places along anearby stream where he had often caught mink that were using theburrows; and he was anxious to show his friend certain things inconnection with the habits of the sleek animals, the skins of whichwere always in such good demand for furs.
They had a joyous time together, because both were animated by thesame sort of desire to know all that could be learned of wild animallife. Hugh's scout education had given him a pretty good insightinto these things; but he knew the relative value of book learningand practical experience, and never let an opportunity to see forhimself slip past.
At no time did they wander far afield. And as certain signals hadbeen arranged with Bud, whereby he could summon them to his assistancein case there was any symptom of impending trouble, there did not seemto be any need of worry.
Once in so often they would walk back to the near vicinity of theshack; and on discovering Bud there, busily engaged in mending hisdisabled aeroplane model, they considered that they could saunteroff again to investigate further into the secrets of wood and swamp,the latter now half frozen over in the cold late November atmosphere.
That was a day Hugh Hardin would long remember. He picked up a stackof practical information on topics that had always interested himgreatly. Ralph was the best kind of a chum with whom to be wanderingthrough the forest. He knew many things in connection with thesesubjects and was always ready to impart information to others, aswell as to demonstrate what he was discussing.
At noontime they cooked dinner. Bud was not nearly through hisrepairs, though he declared that he was making satisfactory progressand would have the model in as good shape as ever long beforeevening set in.
"To-morrow we'll have another and convincing test!" he declaredpositively, with something of the air of a conqueror about him. Hughnoticed this with a smile, though he thought there was some excusefor Bud's displaying a disposition to "crow."
All of the boys showed that they had their appetites along with themon this trip, to judge by the rapid way in which the great heap ofsplendid flapjacks made by Ralph disappeared, until only the emptyplatter remained. But then, they were up here to enjoy themselves,and what better way could they find of doing this than by feastingon real camp cooking?
During the afternoon, Ralph and Hugh spent some more of their timein making discoveries. The former young trapper had a host ofreminiscences to fall back on, now that he was located close to thesce
nes of many of his previous excursions in search of fur and feather.
"See that tree lying there chopped down?" he asked Hugh, as they cameupon a pretty fairsized specimen of the forest monarch, which, afterbeing put to the ax, had broken many limbs off when it crashed down."Well, I did that little job all by myself. Want to know why?"
"I might give a guess, as I see traces of old honeycomb around here.I'll warrant you discovered a hive of bees in this tree and meant toget gallons and gallons of their fine stores. How about that, Ralph?"
"You struck the right nail on the head," laughed the other, "just asI felt certain you would when I saw you look around that way. Yes, Ifelt amply repaid for all my work after cutting through the tree,because two years ago times were a bit hard with the Kenyons, andall that nice honey proved a treat in our family circle, you'dbetter believe."
"How did you find the honey tree,---by tracking the bees up the usualway?" Hugh asked.
"That was how I did it," Ralph replied. "I once saw a regular beehunter do the stunt, and so I knew how; and it worked right well,too. I started out with a little honey and coaxed a wandering beeto fill himself up. Then with a pair of old opera glasses, I watchedhis flight just as far as I could see him. Going over to that point,I repeated the experiment. After doing it for about six times I sawmy loaded bee rise, and make for this tree. Then, as it was a warmnoon, I discovered a swarm of young bees trying their wings away upin the air, and I knew I had located the tree hive. It is an easyjob, once you get on to it, Hugh."
"Some time I'd like to come out with you and try for another hive,"observed the other scout. "But it's too late this year, because,unless a very warm day happens to come along, the bees will stickclose to their hives."
In this sort of fashion the afternoon did not hang heavy on the handsof the two boys. It never does with scouts who are alive to theiropportunities along the line of investigation. Time passed soquickly and pleasantly that, almost before either of them suspectedit, the sun started to go down. And about the same moment theyheard Bud giving the Wolf signal, not in a fashion to indicate anypressing necessity for their presence at the shack, but just to tellthem he was getting lonely and that they had better come home.
They found that Bud had started supper, being in a joyous frame ofmind because of the glittering prospects for success in connectionwith his new invention. Bud was a novice in the business. He woulddoubtless learn in due time how many bitter disappointments attendthe fortunes of all those who spend their waking hours in trying toconjure up startling innovations.
After the evening meal had been enjoyed to its limit and everythingcooked by Bud had vanished, the three chums again sat around andtalked on all sorts of interesting subjects.
Bud, however, seemed to be uneasy. Perhaps it was on account of hisanxiety to have the morrow come, when he could improve on the trialof his model aeroplane. Then again it might have been that theattempted larceny of his precious plan wore upon his mind.
Be that as it may, every little while he would go to the door andstep outside.
It might have been the fourth time he did this that he thrust hishead inside again and called to the others to join him.
"That clatter of machinery is hanging around again, Hugh!" he said,excitedly. "Perhaps you'll be able to tell me whatever it means,and if we could really hear the working of the mills all these milesaway!"
Boy Scouts of the Flying Squadron Page 6