The Boy Scouts Patrol Part 18

"Any way you like," replied Rand. "We will have to work it out, each one for himself."

"All right," responded Pepper, "I am going to get busy right away."

"Right now, Pepper?" asked d.i.c.k.

"Now, that don't remind you of anything," warned Pepper. "Not just this minute, but as soon as I get back to town."

"What's your scheme, Pepper?" asked Donald.

"Can't give it away," replied Pepper, "or you would all want to do it."

"I think," broke in the colonel, "it is time we were starting back.

If you like, we will have a game on the way."

"A game?" asked Jack.

"Yes; a chase."

"Hare and hounds?" asked Pepper.

"In a way," replied the colonel. "Gerald, you and Pepper will be the hares and the rest of us the hounds."

"Do you mean to scatter papers?" asked Rand.

"Hardly," replied the colonel. "Nothing as plain as that. Remember, we are scouts, and we are going to try and follow the trail they leave. Now, then, hares, off with you. Go any way you choose, and in ten minutes we will take up the trail and see if we can follow it."

With a whoop Gerald and Pepper were off, racing down the road.

"Now, boys," went on the colonel, when the hares had gone, "study their foot-prints so that you will know them again."

"They all look alike to me," replied Rand.

"Study them a little," suggested the colonel; "isn't there any difference between them?"

"I think," began Jack hesitatingly, "that one is broader than the other."

"That's one thing; anything else?"

"This one shows the whole of the sole," said Donald.

"And this one only part," added Rand.

"This one is pressed in deeper on one side than the other," put in Jack.

"You are getting the idea," said the colonel. "Think you would know them again?"

"I think I would," responded Jack.

"Then follow them."

Starting off, the boys followed the trail, each one alert to notice any little peculiarity in the foot-prints that would enable them to recognize it again. The trail was readily followed along the road until it turned off into the woods, when they lost it.

"Keep on," directed the colonel, "perhaps you can pick it up again."

Scattering through the woods the boys diligently sought for the foot-prints, but were unable to discover them.

"We have lost them," announced Rand, after they had searched for some time. "Can you help us to find it?"

"It is a little difficult," the colonel answered, "but there is a trace here and there," pointing out slight indentations on the ground. "It is quite hard here and they didn't leave much impression."

"Here it is again!" cried Rand a little later, when they came to a spot of soft earth. "Here is Pepper's track. I think I would know it anywhere now."

"Good!" commended the colonel; "you are learning fast. You will be able soon to follow any trail."

Going under the colonel's guidance the boys followed the trail through the woods until it came out again on the road, where Gerald and Pepper were waiting for them.

"Not at all bad for a first attempt," said the colonel. "We will try it again some day soon."

Which happened sooner and in a more unexpected way than any of them antic.i.p.ated.

CHAPTER XIII

A CHALLENGE

"Well done, Pepper!" cried Rand, as the former, drawing back a stout bow nearly as tall as himself, let fly an arrow that struck in the third circle of the target set up at the opposite end of the green.

"'Tis a promising laddie ye are," commented Gerald Moore after a preliminary flourish of his bugle. "Ave ye live to be a hundhred and don't lave aff practice 'tis a foine shot ye'll be, I dunno."

"Let's see what you can do," retorted Pepper, with a laugh. "I don't believe you can better it."

"Begorrah, Oi don't belave it mesilf," replied Gerald, shooting an arrow that struck just on the outer edge of the target. "Faith, 'twas a narrow escape Oi made, and it's toime Oi was making another,"

starting off on a run as the others made for him.

"That reminds me," broke in d.i.c.k Wilson.

"It's your turn, d.i.c.k," interrupted Rand, as d.i.c.k, stepping in front of the target, after much careful aiming, shot his arrow close beside Pepper's.

"Shure Oi wouldn't have belaved av Oi hadn't seen it," remarked Gerald, who had cautiously ventured back.

This was some days later than the events recorded in the previous chapters, since which time, Rand had been selected as leader and Don as corporal, while Gerald, from his fun-loving proclivities, had been named the "Patrol's jester."

The mystery surrounding the robbery had not been cleared up, and was a frequent subject for conversation. Monkey Rae had not been seen about.

They had met upon this occasion for archery practice on the lawn in front of Mr. Scott's residence, where Rand was living. Immediately upon the formation of the Patrol Mr. Scott, who was one of the patrons of the Scout organization, had presented each member with a fine English bow and quiver of arrows, in the proper method of using which they were being instructed by Colonel Snow.