The Banner Boy Scouts Part 31

"But there are no wild animals large enough to injure the child. The most he could suffer would be exposure to the night air; that and the fright of finding himself alone. Oh! it is a terrible thing though; and little Willie is all his poor father has left. It would kill him if anything happened," declared the good lady, whose heart was very tender.

"Now you see why I'm in such a hurry to get a bite, mother. Every minute might count, for perhaps he is wandering further and further away. You'll let Jane get me something in a jiffy, won't you, now?" continued the eager lad.

"Gladly, and help her too, after you have told me more. How do you boys expect to look for the child in the blackness of those woods?"

"Every scout will carry a lantern, with which we have practiced signal wig-wagging until we are able to send messages back and forth. Besides that, we can form a long line across the woods, and comb nearly every bit of it, looking into every stack of brush and waste to see if Willie has lain down. And mother, think if we should just find him, how glad you'd be that we went out!"

"Indeed, I should! I shall pray that you succeed, my boy. And it does you great credit that you are so earnest in your desire to help others. Sit down, and I'll wait on you myself," and Mrs. Morrison bustled away toward the kitchen as she spoke.

As Paul was hastily devouring his supper, for he was as hungry as a wolf, who should come in but the doctor. And of course he had to be told; though Paul's mother took this task upon herself, giving the boy a chance to eat.

Through the window Paul could see that already several fellows had gathered; and other lanterns were meanwhile coming like giant fireflies through the gathering gloom of the night.

The prospect of bringing his scout troop into action for such a good cause was particularly pleasing to the boy who temporarily filled the office of leader. Spurred to do their very best by a recollection of the vows they had so recently taken, the members of Stanhope Troop might be depended on to bring credit to their organization.

By the time Paul issued from the house there were a full dozen of his chums present. He was glad to see that all the original charter members forming the Red Fox patrol were on hand. They happened to live closer than others who had joined later; and boys of a particular community generally flock together.

Immediately a great hubbub ensued. Those who did not know what all the fuss was about had to be "put wise," as William said. And Paul was called upon to explain his plans for the tracking of little Willie Boggs, who had become as a chip on the torrent, a wanderer in that mysterious forest, the end of which few Stanhope fellows had ever reached in their wanderings up over the hills.

There were now fourteen present, and Paul determined not to wait for any more of the troop to come to time.

"Fall in!"

Down the street they marched, the lanterns flickering as they swung to and fro.

No wonder people, rushing to the doors as shouts arose, began to ask eagerly if the lost child had been recovered.

"It's the Boy Scouts; and they're going out to join the hunt!" some one shouted.

"Oh! they're about a mile behind Ted and his crowd!" jeered one fellow who must have had leanings toward the Slavin party; he had been detected in cheating so often in every game boys played that for months now he found himself left severely alone by decent fellows, and it was reported had applied for admission to the patrol Ward and Ted were getting up.

Out of the town, and straight to the spot where the lost boy had last been seen Paul led his squad. He knew that it would be only a miracle if the many feet that had trod the ground over would have left any trace of the child's little shoes; but he still had hopes that the training some of his scouts possessed would bring more or less success.

The unique sight of all those lanterns on the road had attracted many people, so that when they arrived at the spot Paul had in mind, fully thirty followed, a number of them boys who came only to make sport of the scouts.

"Spread out, fellows," said the scout leader, quietly, "and examine every foot of ground. If you find a single impression of Willie's little shoe, give the signal, and I'll come; but hold your places every one."

Immediately the scene became an animated one. Lanterns flashed hither and thither, swinging close to the ground; while young eyes searched diligently for a trace.

In less than five minutes the signal sounded, and Paul hurried over to the one who had given the same. Jack was at his elbow, and between them they examined the mark, to ascertain in what quarter it pointed.

Then the advance was taken up in that direction.

Again came the thrilling cry that told of a new footprint that had been found.

This time it was Wallace Carberry who had made the discovery. He talked so intelligently about it that Paul determined to keep him close by.

Wallace would be a valuable advisor in case he and Jack disagreed at any time as to what the signs meant.

So they went on for an hour, finding a footprint now and then to encourage them. These came at more frequent intervals when they got far enough away to avoid the trampled soil where the crowd had hunted all the afternoon.

Those who had followed were now missing. They had seen that the scouts meant business, and did not care to wander so far from town. Hence, Paul presently found that he and his patrol had the woods almost to themselves.

Several times though he had seen other lanterns wandering around, and guessed that these were carried by some of the Slavin crowd, also diligently combing the woods in the hope of being the lucky ones to find the missing boy.

The chief of police and his party had gone off in an altogether different direction.

"How long can we keep this up, Paul?" asked Jack, when they had been moving on for two hours, with no end in sight.

"Don't know, but we ought to be able to put our best foot forward just as long as that little fellow does, don't you think?" replied the other, reproachfully.

"Why, of course, and don't think I'm showing the white feather so early in the game. I've made up my mind never to go back until he's found. Why, we can camp right in the woods if it comes to it. And that would be a bully experience for every Fox in the bunch. Think of having to make beds out of branches! Ain't I glad some of us brought our camp hatchets along."

"And Jack, it would leave us in a good position to take up the hunt again in the morning; for you see we'd be right on the ground where the little chap pa.s.sed along. Suppose you call out again. He might hear, and answer."

Jack obeyed, and repeated the name of Willie in a loud voice again and again. But only the echoes of the great woods answered. If the boy were within reach of that cheery hail he must be wrapped in the sleep of exhaustion, and unable to reply.

Finally Jack ceased to call, for he was growing very husky.

The search still went on with unabated zeal, each boy trying to vie with his mates in the endeavor to make some new discovery. Paul examined every faint print of that little foot, desirous of fixing the time it was made.

Wallace joined him in this, and it was clearly shown that hours must have elapsed since the child pa.s.sed that way.

"Still, he may be within fifty yards of where we are. Let's keep at it as long as we can, and only camp when some are too tired to go on," declared Paul, greatly disappointed to think that they had thus far been baffled by hard luck.

It was astonishing to see how far the little fellow had wandered; but fear always lends wings to the feet; and all the while Willie doubtless really believed he must be heading toward home.

And Paul noted another fact that somehow gave him new interest in the enterprise. By degrees the trail had swung around to the left, as is nearly always the case when grown persons are lost; and the principle seemed to hold good in the case of even a child.

In itself this was not strange; but Paul knew that if they kept on for another hour the chances were they would come upon the old mill pond, nestling in the valley. The fact caused him to remember his friend Mr.

Pender; to once more mentally see that red motor with the khaki-colored top; and to picture the two strangers who had asked him so many questions.

Was this really an accident, their being drawn out toward the farm of the unneighborly Sol Smithers; or might it turn out to be the working of destiny?

He was aroused by a call that he had been expecting to hear for some time now.

One of the scouts felt forced to admit that he was "all in." They had done manly work to keep up the tramp all this time, being but boys at best.

It meant that camp must be made, and the balance of the night spent there in the woods, waiting for day to come to renew their search.

Poor little Willie was destined then to pa.s.s still more hours, surrounded by the terrors of the black and unknown forest. But probably by this time he must be so exhausted through his unusual exertions that he was dead to the world in sleep; so it would not matter very much.

Soon all was bustle as the fourteen lads began to make ready to spend a time in open camp. The sound of hatchets made pleasant music, as branches were cut, and beds made close to the fire that had been started.

Some of the smaller lads were so utterly exhausted that they just dropped to the ground, and went to sleep. Paul and Jack pa.s.sed around to see that these wornout fellows did not lie too near the blaze; and that they were fairly comfortable.

In an hour's time it seemed as though every one were taking solid comfort after such rude fashion as could be devised. One of the boys had brought his camera along, keen to secure novel effects; and without warning he set off a flash that gave him a picture of the slumbering heroes on their lowly beds, that would be ever afterwards treasured as invaluable.

At the brilliant illumination several sat up, and one even gave a cry of alarm, thinking perhaps that lightning had struck a tree close by; but with the coming of darkness again they settled back.