The Banner Boy Scouts Snowbound Part 4

"Please come forward, Mr. Garrity," said Paul, "and tell the boys what you suggested to me late this afternoon. I'm sure they'd appreciate it more coming directly from you than getting it secondhand."

While a hum of eager antic.i.p.ation arose all around, Mr. Garrity made his way to the side of the patrol leader and president of the meeting.

"I have no doubt," he said, "that those of you who were not present to-day when our old ice-house fell and caught me in the ruins, have heard all about the accident, so I need not refer to the incident except to say that I shall never cease to be grateful to the scouts for the clever way in which they dug me out of the wreck."

"Hear! hear!" several excited scouts shouted.

"I happened to learn that you were contemplating a trip during the holidays, and when an idea slipped into my mind I lost no time in calling upon Paul Morrison, your efficient leader, in order to interest him in my plan."

"Hear! hear!"

"It happens that I own a forest cabin up in the wilderness where I often go to rest myself and get away from all excitement. It is in charge of a faithful woodsman by the name of Tolly Tip. You can reach it by skating a number of miles up a stream that empties into Lake Tokala. The hunting is said to be very good around there, and you will find excellent pickerel fishing through the ice in Lake Tokala. If you care to do me the favor of accepting my offer, the services of my man and the use of the cabin are at your disposal. Even then I shall feel that this is only a beginning of the deep interest I am taking in the scouts' organization; for I have had my eyes opened at last in a wonderful manner."

As Mr. Garrity sat down, rosy-red from the exertion of speaking to a party of boys, Paul immediately rapped for order, and put the question.

"All who are in favor of accepting this generous offer say yes!" and every boy joined in the vociferous shout that arose.

CHAPTER V

A STARTLING INTERRUPTION

"Mr. Garrity, your kind offer is accepted with thanks," announced Paul. "And as you suggested to me, several of us will take great pleasure in calling on you to-morrow to go into details and to get full directions from you."

"Then perhaps I may as well go home now, boys," said the old gentleman; "as my wrist is paining me considerably. I only want to add that this has been a red day in my calendar. The collapse of the old ice-house is going to prove one of those blessings that sometimes come to us in disguise. I only regret that two little girls were injured.

As for myself, I am thoroughly pleased it happened."

"Before you leave us, sir," said Bobolink, boldly, "please let us show in some slight way how much we appreciate your kind offer. Boys, three cheers for Mr. Thomas Garrity, our latest convert, and already one of our best friends!"

Possibly Bobolink's method of expressing his feelings might not ordinarily appeal to a man of Mr. Garrity's character, but just now the delighted old gentleman was in no mood for fault finding.

As the boyish cheers rang through the room there were actually tears in Mr. Garrity's eyes. Truly that had been a great day for him, and perhaps it might prove a joyous occasion to many of his poor tenants, some of whom had occasion to look upon him as a just, though severe, landlord, exacting his rent to the last penny.

After he had left the room the hum of voices became furious. One would have been inclined to suspect the presence of a great bee-hive in the near vicinity.

"Paul, you know all about this woods cabin he owns," said Tom Betts, "so suppose you enlighten the rest of us."

"One thing tickles me about the venture!" exclaimed Bobolink; "That is that we pa.s.s across Lake Tokala in getting there. I've been hankering to see that place in winter time for ever so long."

"Yes," added Tom, eagerly, "that's true. And what's to hinder some of us from using our iceboats part of the way?"

"Nothing at all," Paul a.s.sured him. "I went into that with Mr.

Garrity, and came to the conclusion that it could be done. Of course, a whole lot depends on how many of us can go on the trip."

"How many could sleep in his cabin do you think, Paul?" demanded Jack.

"Yes. For one, I'd hate to have to bunk out in the snow these cold nights," said Bluff, shaking his head seriously, for Bluff dearly liked the comforts of a cheery fire inside stout walls of logs, while the bitter wintry wind howled without, and the snow drifted badly.

"He told me it was unusually large," explained Paul. "In fact, it has two big rooms and could in a pinch accommodate ten fellows. Of course, every boy would be compelled to tote his blankets along with him, because Mr. Garrity never dreamed he would have an army occupy his log shanty."

"The more I think of it the better it sounds!" declared Jack.

"Then first of all we must try to find out just who can go," suggested Bobolink.

"What if there are too many to be accommodated either on the iceboats we own or in the cabin?" remarked Tom Betts, uneasily.

"Shucks! that ought to be easy," suggested another. "All we have to do is to pull straws, and see who the lucky ten are."

"Then let those who are _positive_ they can go step aside here," Paul ordered; and at this there was a shuffling of feet and considerable moving about.

"Remember, you must be sure you can go," warned Paul. "Afterwards we'll single out those who believe they can get permission, but feel some doubts. If there is room they will come in for next choice."

Several who had started forward held back at this. Those who took their stand as the leader requested consisted of Jack, Bobolink, Bluff, Tom Betts, Jud Elderkin, Sandy Griggs, Phil Towns and "Spider"

s.e.xton.

"Counting myself in the list that makes nine for certain," Paul observed. It was noticed that Tom Betts as well as Bobolink looked exceedingly relieved on discovering that, after all, there need be no drawing of lots.

"Now let those who have strong hopes of being able to go stand up to be counted," continued Paul. "I'll keep a list of the names, and the first who comes to say he has received full permission will be the one to make up the full count of ten members, which is all the cabin can accommodate."

The Carberry twins, as well as several others, stood over in line to have their names taken down.

"If one of us can go, Paul," explained Wallace Carberry, "we'll fix it up between us which it shall be. But I'm sorry to say our folks don't take to this idea of a winter camp very strongly."

"Same over at my house," complained Bob Tice. "Mother is afraid something terrible might happen to us in such a hard spell of winter.

As if scouts couldn't take care of themselves anywhere, and under all conditions!"

There were many gloomy faces seen in the gathering, showing that other boys knew their parents did not look on the delightful scheme with favor. Some of them could not accompany the party on account of other plans which had been arranged by their parents.

"If the ice stays as fine as it is now," remarked Tom Betts, "we can spin down the river on our iceboats, and maybe make our way through that old ca.n.a.l to Lake Tokala as well. But how about the creek leading up to the cabin, Paul? Did you ask Mr. Garrity about it?"

"Yes, I asked him everything I could think of," came the ready reply.

"I'm sorry to say it will be necessary to leave our iceboats somewhere on the lake, for the creek winds around in such a way, and is so narrow in places, that none of us could work the boats up there."

"But wouldn't it be dangerous to leave them on the lake so long?"

asked Tom, anxiously. "I've put in some pretty hard licks on my new craft, and I'd sure hate to have any one steal it from me."

"Yes," added Bobolink, quickly, "and we all know that Lawson crowd have been showing themselves as mean as dirt lately. We thought we had got rid of our enemies some time ago, and here this new lot of rivals seems bent on making life miserable for all scouts. They are a tough crowd, and pretend to look down on us as weaklings. Hank Lawson is now playing the part of the bully in Stanhope, you know."

"I even considered that," continued Paul, who seldom omitted anything when laying plans. "Mr. Garrity told me there was a man living on the sh.o.r.e of Lake Tokala, who would look after our iceboats for a consideration."

"Bully for that!" exclaimed Tom, apparently much relieved. "All the same I think it would be as well for us to try to keep our camping place a secret if it can be done. Let folks understand that we're going somewhere around Lake Tokala; and perhaps the Lawson crowd will miss us."

"That isn't a bad idea," Paul agreed, "and I'd like every one to remember it. Of course, we feel well able to look after ourselves, but that's no reason why we should openly invite Hank and his cronies to come and bother us. Are you all agreed to that part of the scheme?"

In turn every scout present answered in the affirmative. Those who could not possibly accompany the party took almost as much interest in the affair as those intending to go; and there would be heart burnings among the members of Stanhope Troop from now on.