Endurance Test Part 2

"I don't know," replied the other. "Some of your plants here are strange to me, and I reckon it's able to bring on a burning and a swelling sensation in a hurry, like lots of them are, with some people. But it can't be anything as bad as the real rhus tox. I've seen some serious cases of poisoning from ivy. And, Ted, I think you're doing the wise thing to use that potash solution."

"It can't do any harm," remarked the doctor, "and you thee, it'th bound to do thome good. Of courthe Landy will look like the d.i.c.kenth for theveral dayth, but he'th a lucky boy if he geth off that eathy."

"Sure I am," affirmed the victim, readily. "Paint away all you like.

Tell you what, fellers, she feels some better already. Perhaps, after all, I won't have to be led home with my face lookin' like a big punkin and my eyes out of sight."

"We may be happy yet," remarked Ty, who could be cheerful because it was not _his_ face that burned and stung as though nettles had done their work. "And, Elmer, would you mind if I once more turned my attention to getting grub ready? I've got a terrible vacuum down here, and you know we learned at school that Nature abhors a vacuum."

"I'll do more and help you get supper ready, Ty," replied the other. "We can leave Landy in the hands of Dr. Ted. He'll make him lie down and rest; and above all things keep his hands from his face. It's good he took hold of the case so quick, for the poison hasn't had much chance to get in."

So the work went on, two of the boys hovering over the fire that had been started, while Adam ran errands for Dr. Ted. Landy was given a blanket and told to keep quiet, but he insisted on lying so that he could watch the cooks out of the corners of his eyes, and every now and then he would sniff the air as though his appet.i.te had not been entirely chased away by his misfortune.

When the coffee was done boiling, the Boston baked beans heated to a turn and everything ready, Elmer opened the odd oven in the ground.

"Why, they're nearly as hot as when we put 'em in!" declared the wondering Ty, as he unwrapped the two young chickens that had come from the friendly farmer.

Landy sat upright presently.

"Here, don't you dare to forget me!" he called out, as he saw the others about to sit down around the spot where the supper was spread.

"But sick people should never eat a bite," declared Ty, unable to resist the opportunity to tantalize the patient, whose one weakness lay in his enormous appet.i.te, which he could never seem to control.

"I ain't sick, though," retorted the other, getting up with an effort.

"I always heard that it was the right thing to starve a fever, and stuff a cold," Ty went on, deliberately helping himself to a portion of a fowl, which almost fell to pieces in his hands, it was so tender and well done; "and I guess you've got the fever, all right. Anyhow, you're as red as a chief in the Buffalo Bill show."

"Oh, let up on that, Ty Collins!" cried Landy, indignantly. "Just give me half a chance, and I'll mighty soon show you who's sick around here.

I can make them chickens look that way, I want you to know. Here, make room for me! Looks don't count in camp. Just think I'm sunburned, that's all. Elmer, help me to some of that delicious coffee, won't you? I've been smelling it this long time. It would go right to the spot, I believe."

"Sure I will, Landy," replied the other, smilingly; "and it does me good to know you're feeling so much better. But let's hope this will be a lesson to you never to handle vines that you don't know."

"It will, I promise you, Elmer," replied the other, earnestly. "And the first time you run across some of the genuine poison ivy just call me, please. I've heard so much about it that I want to know the stuff so I can beware."

"I saw some only a few hours back, and to-morrow I'm going to take you and Adam and Ty there to impress its looks on your minds. It may save you a heap of suffering if you expect to roam much in the woods after this."

Landy was feeling much better. Indeed, the swelling seemed to be going down rapidly, and even the burning, itching sensation had yielded to the application of that wonderful remedy.

Everybody, even Ty, felt glad of this, for Landy was a jolly chum and they must miss him very much had he been compelled to be taken home in suffering.

"Hot work, this cooking in summer weather, fellows," observed Ty, as he looked up from cleaning off his tin platter.

"Then why don't you shed that terrible old red sweater?" suggested Elmer, though he knew beforehand that Ty would find lots of excuses for declining.

Winter and summer, Ty always wore that old flaming sweater when engaged in any outdoor game, whether it be skating, playing hockey, football, baseball, or even going fishing. The season seemed to make no difference to him, though some of his chums declared that the mere sight of the thing made them perspire.

"What, this!" he exclaimed, as though astonished that anyone should mention the subject. "Why, I just couldn't do a thing minus my jolly old sweater. It's been on all sorts of jobs with me. I look on it as my best friend. n.o.body knows how many colds it's saved me from. I'd just feel lost without it on, that's what."

"But in hot weather like this it must make you swelter," continued Elmer.

"Not much it don't. Why, don't you know it _keeps the warmth out_?

That's what I read once, and I believe in it, too. Besides, all the fellers have got so used to seeing me with it on that they'd pa.s.s me by if I dropped it," grinned Ty.

"That'th tho," remarked Ted.

No one suspected just then what an important part that same red sweater was to play in a game that might change Ty's mind, and that before many hours had pa.s.sed.

The supper was p.r.o.nounced prime, and a vote of thanks taken for the farmer who had once been a boy himself and could appreciate the appet.i.te of five fellows who were camping out.

A tent had been brought along, and into this the five crowded when the hour had grown late, and everyone admitted that he was "real sleepy."

Nothing out of the way happened during the night. There were no wild animals of any consequence around that part of the country, although farther north hunters got deer, and even a black bear had been shot the previous spring. Now and then a sly fox would create a little excitement among the neighboring farmers by slipping into their henroosts and carrying off a fat fowl. Mink might be found along the smaller tributaries to the Sweet.w.a.ter; muskrats were plentiful in the marsh land, and some smart trappers made quite a little sum taking these small animals during the season.

Of course racc.o.o.ns and possums abounded, as they always do around the smaller towns all through the middle East. Elmer, waking in the night and coming out to stretch his legs because the presence of five in a small tent cramped the quarters somewhat, amused himself for some time in listening to the various sounds that came from the woods close by.

To one not familiar with the voices of the forest folks, these might have pa.s.sed as unmeaning noises, but he could place every one. In imagination he saw the bushy-tailed c.o.o.n trying to scoop up a fish from the end of the log that ran down into the water; he could follow the movements of the fat possum climbing the tree to her nest in a hollow limb, and that angry snarling he understood came from a couple of slim mink who had met while patrolling the bank of a small creek on their nightly rounds.

Morning came at last, and as the boys emerged from the tent, the first thing they did was to take a plunge in the river. Even Landy was on hand, looking very comical, it is true, with his stained hands and face, but feeling quite "chipper," as he declared, when Elmer asked concerning the state of his health.

They could all swim, of course, even Landy, who earlier in the season had been utterly ignorant concerning the first rudiments of how to keep afloat; but a.s.sociation with the other scouts in camp had caused him to take lessons, and Elmer had shown him how useful the knowledge of swimming may prove to any boy at some unexpected time.

"Whose turn to go for milk this morning?" asked Elmer, after they had dressed.

"I reckon it's mine," remarked Ty. "Some other fellow must start getting breakfast, then. Perhaps Adam may turn out as good a cook as he is a diver. Here, give me the directions how to take that short cut to the farmer's shack."

So, presently, Ty wandered off, carrying the tin pail for the milk. The getting of breakfast went on apace. Adam seemed willing to act as an a.s.sistant to Elmer, and between them they soon had things in an advanced stage.

"Thay, that Ty ought to be here with the lacteal fluid," remarked Ted, who often amused his chums by spouting big words.

"That's so," remarked Elmer, "and as Adam is busy here and poor old Landy recuperating from a bad attack of sunburn, I'll appoint you a committee of one to meander along the trail and hustle Ty up."

Ted hurried away, for he was beginning to feel the gnawing sensation of a hunger that always attacks growing boys soon after arising. Besides, that cold dip seemed to just give them all an additional zest.

Ten minutes later Landy jumped up in considerable excitement.

"Look there, fellers!" he exclaimed, pointing along the trail over which Ted had recently pa.s.sed, "ain't that our chum Ted comin' back on the dead run and waving his hands like fun? Tell you what, something's just gone and happened to Ty! That's what he gets for making fun of me.

P'raps he's run across a rattlesnake! You know that farmer said they killed one up here last year, and we did the same early this season. Oh, my, I hope not!"

CHAPTER III.

THE LURE OF THE RED FLAG.

"WHAT'S the matter?" demanded Elmer, as Ted came reeling into camp, quite out of breath; but upon seeing that the other had a huge grin on his face he knew the news he was bringing could not be so very serious after all.

"Ty!" was all the runner could gasp at first.