The Banner Boy Scouts Afloat Part 19

"And talk about the grub--it just takes the cake," admitted Old Dan Tucker; though no one seemed to pay the least attention to what he thought, for they knew him of old, and that the present meal was always the "best he had ever eaten, barring none."

Of course it was only natural that while the scouts were enjoying their meal in this fashion, many looks betrayed an uneasiness on the part of some among their number. Possibly they were wondering whether it could be that hostile eyes were fixed upon them then and there, and if so, what those strange, unknown men, who seemed to want to rule the island, would do when they discovered that the scouts had disobeyed their order to leave.

Would they resort to violence? It would not be an easy task to banish a dozen and a half lively boys, they were thinking.

Paul had made up his mind with regard to certain things that must be done. First of all, they ought to get their heads together, and decide on a plan. Should they make any sort of attempt that night to explore the island? He owned a splendid little hand electric torch, into which he had slipped a fresh battery before starting out on the voyage along the two rivers; and this might prove very useful in searching dark and gloomy parts of the island. But on the whole, it seemed so foolish to think of such a thing, Paul wanted the rest to settle the matter.

So, still cautioning them to speak only in whispers at the most, he placed the whole matter before them; much as might the chairman of a meeting, after which he asked in so many words:

"You've heard all I know about it; now, what is your pleasure, fellows?"

"So far as I'm concerned," said Bobolink, always the first to speak; "I'm willing to do anything the rest say, or go wherever they want to head; but to be honest, boys, I'd think we were off our base if we went prowling around this queer old island at night time. There are a heap of things about it that some people don't want us to know, it seems; and we ought to take daylight to spear such facts."

Others were of the same opinion; and when Paul put the vote, it was overwhelmingly the sentiment of the meeting that they simply take things as easy as they could until dawn came, and then, with fourteen hours of light ahead, do all the exploring they liked.

That settled it, since there could be no going behind the returns when a majority favored any move. Accordingly, they made preparations for pa.s.sing the night as the conditions best allowed.

"Of course, we must have sentries posted to keep watch?" remarked Jack.

"All through the livelong night. They will have to be changed every hour; and four can be on guard at a time. That'll give about two turns to every scout, with a chance to get four hours sleep between times on duty."

And having said his, Paul, as the acting scout master, proceeded to a.s.sign each one to his post number. There was no confusion. They had practiced this same movement many a time, and now that it was to be carried out, the boys profited by their experience.

It could be seen that there was a condition of almost feverish excitement under the surface, try as they might to conceal the fact by an appearance of coolness. A real peril seemed to be hovering over them, since they had chosen to disobey the mandate of the unknown who seemed to claim the island as his private property. And if they were discovered during the night, there would be no telling what might happen.

At the same time the boys were enjoying the novel experience. It seemed to give them a peculiar thrill, not unlike that of a daring skater who shoots boldly over thin, new ice, that crackles under him, and bends in a dreadful way, but does not break, because his pa.s.sage has been too swift.

In the morning Paul would pick out several of them, as he thought best; and with this exploring party set out to learn what the island contained.

Meanwhile they would rest quietly in that rocky retreat, in the hope that their return had not been noted by any observing eye, and that their presence on the island was utterly unknown.

The sentries had been selected, and every boy knew just when his turn to take a post would come around. Those who were ready to lie down and get some rest were expected to arouse their successors, so that the thing was calculated to run along as smoothly as though on a greased track.

If anything out of the ordinary came to pa.s.s, and there was time to arouse the scout master, Paul wanted it done. He could not remain awake himself more than any one of the others, much as he might wish to be on the job all the time; but that need not prevent his keeping in touch with whatever happened.

Paul still had his shotgun, and had of course made sure to bring it from the motorboat when he led his column of burden-bearers trailing through the timber and rocks to that little sink in which the new camp had been pitched. It had served him often and well, and he was accustomed to placing the utmost confidence in the trusty little weapon. But he hoped he would find no occasion to use it now, and against human beings. Only as the very last resort would he turn to this.

Still, there are times when the presence of an empty gun has done wonders; since imagination invests it with all the attributes of a loaded weapon. And that was one of the many reasons why Paul kept the double-barreled gun close to him, even when he crept into the tent to which he was a.s.signed, and lay down on his blanket to try and get a little sleep.

Some of the other boys whispered for a while, as they lay with their heads close together; but they were too sleepy to keep this up for long; so that one by one they dropped off, until from their regular breathing it was easy to guess that all had surrendered to the heavy hand of sleep.

Those on guard duty were not supposed to move about very much. They had been posted at what might be called the four corners of the camp. Here they could, between them, about cover all the s.p.a.ce around the sink, for their positions were on the more elevated ground.

And as the clouds were breaking at the time Paul crawled under the tent, he felt pretty sure that before long they would have the a.s.sistance of the moon, now more than half full, and which would not set until after midnight.

Those who were the first on duty fulfilled their part of the programme faithfully. After standing out their "spell," they proceeded to quietly awaken those who were scheduled to follow after them. Each fellow knew who his successor was, and it had been made a part of his duty to see that this scout was not only awakened, but on the job; after which he himself could crawl in under his blanket, and take it easy until his second turn came, hours later.

Thus Bobolink was one of the second watch. In turn he would have the pleasure of arousing the commander, and seeing that Paul took up his duty; for in laying out the schedule Paul had not spared himself in the least.

Bobolink was an imaginative boy. He could see many things that others were apt to pa.s.s by without discovering anything out of the ordinary. It was a weakness which Bobolink had to guard against; lest he discover things that had no foundation in fact.

He sat there, listening and looking, for a long time. The music of the breeze in the tree-tops made him a little nervous at first; but presently he seemed to get more accustomed to the sounds, and then they made him drowsy, so that he had to take himself sharply to task more than once because his eyes found it so easy to shut.

Wishing to have something to think about, so as to keep his wits aroused, Bobolink began to try and figure out just where his fellow sentinels were located and imagine what they were doing. Could they be struggling, as he was, to keep awake, one of the hardest things a boy can battle with?

What was that? Surely something moved out yonder among the scrub!

Bobolink sat straight up. He was no longer sleepy. This thing seemed to have made his eyes fly wide open; and with his heart pumping at a tremendous rate, sending the hot blood bounding through his veins, surely he was now in no danger of sleeping on his post.

He watched the spot from which the sound had seemingly come. The moon penetrated the bushes only faintly, because it was now nearing the western horizon, its journey for the night almost done. Strive as Bobolink might to see whether any one was crawling along there, he could not for a time make sure.

Then he detected a movement that must mean something. And at the same time he discovered what seemed to be twin glowworms in the darkness.

Bobolink had had some little experience in such things, and had read a good deal on the subject. He knew that in the night time the eyes of many wild animals, particularly of the cat tribe, can appear luminous, so that, seen in a certain kind of gloom, they seem to be like yellow globes. And that was what these were.

"Huh!" said Bobolink to himself, after he had watched these queer glowing b.a.l.l.s of fire move several times, that proved in his mind they must be the eyes of an animal: "Guess I better give Paul the high sign, and let him figure out what it is."

And with that he started to creep into the camp, leaving his post for the time being unguarded; for with three other sentries on duty Bobolink did not imagine there could be any danger in his withdrawing from the line.

CHAPTER XVIII

WHAT LAY IN THE BRUSH

"Wake up, Paul!"

Bobolink accompanied these whispered words by a gentle shake. He seemed to know instinctively just where the scout master was lying; or else it must have been, that all this had been systematically laid out beforehand; and every fellow had a particular place where he was to curl up in his blanket when not on duty.

Paul was awake instantly, even though he had been far gone in sleep at the moment that hand touched his arm.

"All right, Bobolink," he said, in a low tone, so as not to arouse any of the others. "I'm with you. Time up?"

"Not quite, Paul; but there's some sort of beast creeping around the camp; and I thought you ought to know."

Paul sat up at once.

"You did the right thing, Bobolink," he remarked, quietly.

The sentry could hear him groping around, as if for something. Presently Paul seemed to have found what he sought. Of course it was his shotgun.

Wildcats were to be found in some of the woods not many miles from Stanhope. The scouts knew this, because they had experience with these bold pests, who had been attracted by the smell of food in their camp.

Besides, there were sometimes packs of wild dogs roaming the woods that might need to be taught a lesson, in case they gave the campers any trouble.

So Paul had been wise to bring that double-barreled gun along. In a pinch it would prove a handy thing to have with them. And no doubt it gave Bobolink considerable satisfaction to realize that Paul had such a weapon handy.

Immediately the sentry started to crawl out of the tent again, with Paul close at his heels. A head was raised, and one of the supposed sleepers watched the dim figures retreating.