Jack Winters' Campmates Part 15

"But the signs all show that it's clearing off," observed Steve, exultantly, fixing his weather-sharp eye on the aforesaid patch of azure sky. "You know the old saying is, 'Between eleven and two it'll tell you what it's going to do,' so I'm counting on our having a decent afternoon of it."

His prediction proved to be correct. The clouds began to part, and at exactly noon, according to Jack's watch, the sun looked out from behind the dark curtains that had hidden his genial face for so long a spell.

"It'll take the whole afternoon for the woods to get decently dry again," Jack was saying just then; "so we'll have to keep quiet for a little spell. But I've got a scheme on foot that will take two of us away all of tomorrow, and perhaps the day afterwards, leaving one to guard the camp. And you two fellows must toss up to see who goes, and who stays."

CHAPTER XVII

THE PROSPECTORS

"Well, for one, I don't want to be kept in suspense so long," Toby began; "and I move we settle that question right away, Steve, by drawing straws."

"After all, it had better be you who goes with Jack, Toby," the other generously went on to say. "To tell you the truth I'm a little afraid that heel of mine hasn't just given up the fight yet, and a very long tramp just now might make it hurt again like sixty."

"No, that wouldn't be fair," urged Toby, doggedly. "You've got to take your chance at it. If I do go I want to feel that I'm not cheating you out of your opportunity. I like to have a clean conscience. Here, Jack, you hold the straws. The one who gets the shorter stays behind; that's understood. And Steve shall draw first, because I picked the straws."

Evidently, there could hardly be a more conscientious boy that Toby Hopkins, for he was always looking out for the rights of the other fellow. That was the main reason why Jack Winters had chosen him for one of his closest chums. He knew he could depend on Toby to do the right thing every time.

Well, Steve had the nerve deliberately to draw the short straw. He grinned when he discovered what luck he had had, as though not so very much displeased after all.

"That settles it right, Toby," he went on to say, pleasantly. "'Course it'll seem like an everlastingly long time while I'm loafing here, but my heel is going to have a fair chance to get well. Then I've got that bully book, which I can enjoy if the weather gets real warm, so I won't shiver at descriptions of the terrible times they had when nearly freezing to death in the ice packs. Oh! don't look like you pitied me; I'm just as well satisfied it worked out that way."

They did a good many things that afternoon. Jack got his camera in order for further work, because, of course, he meant to carry it along with him.

"Will you want to take the gun, too?" asked Steve, with a touch of solicitude in his manner; for he rather counted on having the firearm with him in camp, as a sort of protection that would serve to ease his mind; because it would be a pretty lonely night of it.

"No, we'll leave that for you, Steve," said Jack, immediately, as though all that had been settled in his mind.

"How about your meals?" Steve now asked. "If you expect to be gone over night, it'll mean that three or four times you'll want to break your fast. What sort of grub do you mean to carry along with you that doesn't need cooking; for I take it you'll hardly expect to make a fire, for fear of being discovered?"

"You're right about the fire part of it, Steve," Jack informed him; "as for our food, I've arranged all that. You see, we fetched along a number of things that will come in handy for such a trip. In the first place, we'll carry a lot of sweet chocolate; that always sustains a fellow when he's weak from hunger. Then there's that big hunk of fine dried beef, which I'm particularly fond of, and can eat just as I cut it from the strip."

"The Indians always used to carry pemmican along with them, to munch on when going into the enemy's country where a fire would endanger their lives," announced Toby. "And this modern dried beef is something like the venison they smoked and cured until it was fairly black. They say a redskin could travel all day on just a handful of maize or corn, and as much pemmican; stopping to quench his thirst at some running stream or spring."

"There are several other things we have with us that we can carry to help out in the food line," Jack continued. "You must know that they have malted milk that only needs water to make a splendid and nourishing drink. Besides, there is desiccated egg in the shape of powder that is the real thing preserved. I have also several tins of soup that I can heat up day or night without a trace of fire."

"That's a queer thing, Jack," spoke up Toby; "tell us how the thing is done, won't you please?"

Jack stepped over to the supply wagon and soon returned bearing one of the tins in question, which Toby noticed now was a trifle more bulky than others that he remembered seeing containing prepared soups.

"This is quite a clever idea," proceeded Jack. "You see, it consists of really two cans, one inside the other. The narrow s.p.a.ce between is filled with unslacked lime. When you feel like having a meal, all you have to do is to punch a hole close to the edge on top, and pour in some cold water. This immediately makes the lime furiously hot, and in a short time you can open the main can and your soup is almost scalding. I tried one can at home, and it worked to a charm. My dad was quite tickled with it, and said they never had such splendid things when he was young and used to go off into the woods on camping or surveying trips."

"Oh! I see we're not going to starve yet awhile, even if we can't have a nice pot of coffee while on the job," laughed the pleased Toby, handling the wonderfully self-heating can of vegetable soup almost reverently.

So the afternoon pa.s.sed.

Jack had everything laid out, for, as he said, it might be well for them to get an early start on the following morning, since they had quite a tramp before them, and would want to take their time during the latter half of the journey, when there might be more or less danger of discovery.

"Of course," Jack a.s.sured them, "I don't expect to keep this sort of thing up all the time we're here in camp. That would be making it too much a matter of business. Once I've settled on what this Mr. Maurice is doing, and managed to gather up all the evidence necessary, I shall put him out of my mind; and after that we'll just enjoy ourselves to the limit, as we deserve."

"Hurrah!" cried Toby; "and if ever any fellows had a better chance to enjoy themselves I'd like to know it; with such a splendid tent for a shelter, a jolly camp stove that keeps you warm in chilly or wet weather; and ten days left that can all be filled with delight."

"Don't forget that we've another cause for rejoicing in the possession of a most delightful stock of things to eat," interrupted Steve, sagely, "as well as a real biscuit and flapjack _chef_ who's willing to lay himself out to the limit for the good of his chums."

The rest of the day proved all that could be desired. It warmed up considerably, too, although when the sun had set in a blaze of glory, and evening began to steal softly upon the scene, there was a little tang to the air that made the campfire, built outdoors, feel doubly acceptable to them.

Nor were they disturbed at all during the night that followed. Moses, being well looked after, found no opportunity to slip his tether, and surprise them with a nocturnal visit. Doubtless it was not from lack of trying that he failed to make a second attack upon the oat-sack in the wagon, for fond memories of that other occasion must still linger with him, to judge from the pitiful whinnies he gave vent to from time to time throughout the night.

Once Toby awakened the other two by talking. He fancied he had heard another of those strange booming sounds; but as Jack, who was a light sleeper, declared he had caught no such dull crash, it was determined that Toby must have been dreaming.

So morning found them.

Toby being the first to crawl out immediately announced that the signs were all propitious.

"Going to be a fine day, Jack," he went on to say, "though I reckon it'll warm up more or less along toward noon. But I'm so glad the rain has gone that I'll willingly stand any amount of heat instead. Come, get a move on you, Steve; I'm starting up the cooking fire, and you promised us we would have a batch of flapjacks this morning, remember."

"I believe I did in a rash moment," bl.u.s.tered Steve, making his appearance, clad in his wonderfully striped pajamas; "and as I always try to keep my word I reckon I'm in for it."

"Oh! you'll have it easy enough while we're gone," Toby told him, "with only one to look after. Perhaps now you'll be glad to see us come trailing back home again some time tomorrow afternoon."

"No question about that, Toby," the other told him, as he commenced with his customary early morning exercises, modeled somewhat after the type of those in use in the army, and which were best calculated to take all the stiffness and numbness out of his system, brought about by curling up under his blanket.

There was really little to do save eat breakfast, since Jack had looked after all necessary preparations on the previous afternoon. Steve did not seem quite so hilarious as usual, Jack could not but notice. He understood the reason why, and while he hated to think of leaving the other behind, it was really necessary, since the camp must be guarded during their absence.

Later on the pair prepared to sally forth. Steve allowed the breakfast things to lie around, promising to look after them when he had seen the last of his two departing chums. Toby had filled his pockets with crackers and cheese, in addition to the amount of other things which he was to carry as his share of the burden. It looked as though Toby did not mean to starve to death during his absence from the fountain head of supplies. But then Toby did not differ to any great extent from any other wholesome boy with an appet.i.te that knew no limit. Steve even urged various other edibles upon the adventures until one would think they were planning to be gone a whole week or more, instead of a scant two days.

"I don't believe we've overlooked anything," a.s.serted Toby, as they drew up to make their start.

"Well, if we hang around here much longer we'll be having the entire supply of grub shoved on us," laughed Jack, quite amused by Steve's generosity; "so I guess we'd better say goodbye, and clear out while the going is good. Take care of yourself, Steve, and have as easy a time as you can. You'll get your chance to navigate after we come back again, and must try the fishing with Toby here for a starter."

"So-long, fellows, and the best of luck go with you!" called out Steve, as they launched upon their journey, Toby with a stout staff, and Jack having his camera dangling over his shoulder by the strap.

He stood there watching them plunge into the depths of the woods. Every time one of them glanced back Steve would wave his hat to show that he still watched. There was a trace of regret in his manner, though he had bravely tried to hide it from Jack's observing eye. Of course Steve hated to see them go away to stay so long; it would be mighty lonely in camp all by himself; and the coming of night could not be expected to give him a great amount of cheer.

But then Steve was a sensible chap, capable of making the best of a bad bargain. He would find plenty to do to amuse himself; and as a last resort he had that entertaining volume, only one-quarter read up to now, upon which he could depend to make the time pa.s.s. So after they had vanished from his vision Steve turned around and proceeded to clean up the breakfast things for a starter.

CHAPTER XVIII

INSIDE THE ENEMY'S LINES

Jack and Toby pushed on through the woods. Having been over the course much of the way before, going and returning, they would find it much easier than if everything was strange to them.