Ralph Victor

“ Scout salute as he stepped forward.
"Cans't thou mend it, brave yeoman," replied Rand in the language of Robin Hood's day, in which the other had spoken, returning the salute.
"I doubt it much," returned the newcomer, taking the bow which Rand had offered and stretching it the length of his arm. "A good bow and worthy of your skill. With your permission I will essay a shot."
"Rather we crave the favor," answered Rand, extending his quiver to the stranger, who carefully selecting an arrow, fitted it to the bow. ”

“ CHAPTER X LOOKING FOR A CLUE "Hello, Jack," called Rand, meeting the former on the street the following morning, hurrying along in his usual fashion, "what's the latest?"
"About what?" asked Jack in turn.
"About everything. Anything new about the robbing of Judge Taylor's office the other night?"
"Haven't heard much yet," replied Jack. "I was just going around there to see if they had found out anything more."
"Looking for clues?" questioned Rand.
"Not so much for clues as news," responded Jack. "Perhaps I can pick up some of both. You never can tell when they'll pop up. ”

“ Picking himself up, he ran after Rand down the landing.
There was a splash in the water, and the sound of rapidly receding oars, but there was no one at the landing.
"What has become of Gerald?" asked Rand, looking around.
"He can't be far off," replied Donald, "Give him a call."
"Hello-o-o, Gerald!" shouted Rand, but Gerald did not answer.
"Hello, there! What's ail the noise about?" demanded Colonel Snow, who had followed Pepper onto the landing. "Why, boys, what are you doing here?"
"We can't find Gerald," explained Donald, who was looking in ail kinds of impossible places. ”

“ I suppose you all know the scout law."
"Not yet," replied Jack. "Rand read it to us, but we haven't learned it yet."
"Let me see," continued the colonel musingly, "how does number four go?"
"It says," read Rand, "a scout is a friend to all and a brother to every other scout, no matter to what social class the other belongs. A scout accepts the other man as he finds him, and makes the best of him."
The colonel made no comment, and the boys walked on in silence.
"I was wrong," acknowledged Rand after a little hesitation. "I have no objection to Gerald." ”

“ The course, as agreed upon, was a straight-away three miles over a clear stretch of the river from off the Creston landing.
"What have you got there?" asked Dick, as Rand pulled a coin from his pocket and began rubbing it up on his sleeve.
"That's his mascot," laughed Jack. "It's the coin he found in the road, and he keeps it for luck."
"Well, I guess it has its work cut out for it, all right," went on Dick. "He will have his hands full—if it is a he—to keep us in the procession. Alton has a crew of blacksmiths." ”

“ The Scout was now so close to the smaller boat that the occupants could easily be distinguished.
"There is Monkey Rae," declared Pepper.
"And Sam and Red," added Jack, "but I don't know who the man is."
"Boat, ahoy!" shouted the colonel.
"What do you want?" snarled the man.
"You!" shouted the colonel. "Lay to until we come alongside!"
"Come on," responded the man, "and you will get more than you are looking for!" at the same time displaying a pistol, which he pointed toward the larger boat. ”

“ While talking Monkey had opened the window and started to crawl into the house. "If you're afraid to come in," he said scornfully to the other, "stay outside and keep watch. It won't take me more than a minute to crack this shell."
At this instant Rand, with a shrill, clear whistle, sprang out from his hiding place and in a moment all was confusion.
"Shure, the fat's in the fire now," chuckled Gerald to himself. ”

“ They had gone perhaps about halfway down the hill toward the boathouse when a big bay horse, drawing a light wagon in which were three boys, came quickly around a turn in the road. It bore down on them so suddenly that only by a rapid scramble up the bank by the side of the road did Rand and Donald save themselves from being bowled over.
The newcomers would have driven on with a jeering laugh only that Pepper, angry at what obedience, neatness and order are Scout virtues. Endurance, self-reliance, self-control and an effort to help some one else are Scout objectives. ”

“ Which way did he go?"
"On the upper road," answered Rand; "but we have been all along that."
"Well, we'll see if we can't pick up his trail," went on the colonel at once, leading off at a rapid pace. "Did any of you pick it up?"
"There are lots of tracks," replied Rand, "but I did not pick his out."
"Some who are expert, you know, can read tracks as readily as you read the paper. These look much alike, but we will follow them up and see if any diverge or break away from the road." ”

“ The boys set out at once in pursuit of the thief, but he had too long a start, and perhaps, some knowledge of the locality, and after a vain hunt they straggled back to the boat without having found any trace of him.
"Well, that's the meanest thing yet," grumbled Pepper, looking at the overturned stove. "The oil has all run out and we can't cook any more," he went on, with so gloomy an expression that, in spite of their anger against Monkey Rae, the others could not help laughing. ”

“ I don't think Monkey could surprise us, except by trying to be good."
"And I don't believe he'll try that," laughed Pepper.
"What shall we do about it?" asked Gerald. "Tell the colonel?"
"I am no sure there is anything to it," said Donald. "And it may be possible we can take care of Monkey and Sam ourselves. In my opinion, it would no be a bad plan to go down to the boathouse and capture them if they come."
"That isn't a bad idea," agreed Rand. "We can slip away, one at a time, so if they see us they won't suspect anything. I will go first and the rest of you can join me later. ”

“ CHAPTER IV UP THE RIVER "Are you all ready?" called Rand, who was stroke. "Pull!"
The boys bent to their work in earnest, and but few words were spoken while they sent the boat along, mile after mile, until they had gone some half dozen miles up the river.
"Phew!" exclaimed Pepper at length, "what is the matter with stopping here?"
"Tired?" asked Donald.
"Well, I feel as if I had been doing something," replied Pepper, resting on his oar.
"I suppose there isn't much choice in the matter," remarked Rand; "one place is probably as good as another."
"Only some of them are better," put in Jack. ”

“ It was killed by an arrow from one of those bows there."
"An arrow!" exclaimed Rand. "I didn't know that an elk could be killed with an arrow."
"An arrow is as deadly as a bullet at short range," replied the colonel. "You have read of the English archers and their famous long-bows, haven't you?"
"And Robin Hood," put in Pepper.
"Robin Hood, of course," continued the colonel. "The Indians were dangerous foes, too, even when they had nothing but their bows and arrows." ”

“ CHAPTER XIV A DEFIANCE "Well," began Rand on the evening of the day on which the challenge had been received from the Highpoint Patrol, "what shall we do with this challenge?"
"Accept it, av coorse," cried Gerald. "Shure, they can't bate us more thin foor miles."
"But we only row three," put in Jack.
"Thin it's a safe bet," went on Gerald, "Aven Don might bet on that."
"What's that?" asked Donald.
"That they won't bate us more than foor miles," replied Gerald. ”

“ By this time they had reached the shore and, jumping out of the boat, dragged it up on the beach.
"Now," called Rand, when they had landed, "who wants to be cook?
Don't all speak at once."
"I'll do it," volunteered Jack, "but—"
"Say no more," interjected Rand, "we couldn't do worse and Don is almost as bad. I reckon, Pepper, it must be you or I."
"If we don't want to starve," agreed the boy.
"If you and Jack will clean the fish and Don will bring the water and wash the dishes I'll do the cooking," went on Rand. "Is that fair?" ”

“ Say, fellows, wouldn't it be great if we all had motor-cycles!"
"In my opinion," interjected Donald, "'tis just a waste of time wishing for what ye'll no get."
"Oh, there is no harm in wishing," returned Pepper. "You might just as well wish for a big thing as a little one."
"Just look at the wave following her," interrupted Jack. "It must be more than five feet higher than the level of the river. We will have to keep head on if we don't want to be swamped."
"See that canoe over there," broke in Pepper, and pointing to another boat. "They will be in trouble pretty soon if they don't watch out." ”

“ They were also provided with small bugle horns, upon which they had learned to sound various signals and calls.
"Now, Rand," said Donald, "show us how to do it."
"If I can," answered Rand, taking position in front of the target.
"As good Hubert said: 'A man can but do his best.'"
Drawing back his bow to the full length of the arrow, with a quick glance at the target, he let fly the arrow, which whistled through the air and struck fair on the outer edge of the bull's-eye. ”

“ Darting off, Gerald was gone but a few minutes, returning on the run to report that Pepper had not been back since morning.
"Perhaps he has got hurt somehow," put in Dick.
"It is no way impossible," assented Donald. "It might no be a bad idea to walk along the road until we meet him."
"Which way did he go?" asked Jack.
"The upper road," replied Rand.
The boys acted upon the suggested and proceeded along the road, slowly at first, then more rapidly as their comrade did not appear. They had covered more than half the distance to Highpoint. ”

“ Rand—Randolph in full, surname Peyton—who was slightly the eldest of the four, was the nephew of Mr. Scott, president of the Creston National Bank. He was a native of Virginia, having come to Creston after the death of his father some two years before this time, with his mother and sister. He was bright, but inclined to be indolent, except when aroused, when his energy knew no limit. He was slow in speech, having the soft Southern drawl with a tendency to slur his r's, and was a natural leader among his companions, both in their sports and their studies. ”

“ As the canoe had overturned the captain of the Dart, who was in the pilot house, seeing the accident, had rung for slow speed and, putting the yacht about, hurried back to the place. But, except for the fortunate presence of the boys, it is doubtful if he would have arrived in time to be of any assistance.
"Can we help you in any way?" called Mr. Whilden, the owner of the yacht, who was standing at the gangway as it ran down close to the boat. "I was afraid we wouldn't get here in time."
"There is an unconscious girl here that would be better on your boat," replied Rand. ”

“ While Jack and Pepper were getting the fish ready, Rand brought the stove from the boat, set it up and had it burning, and the pan hot by the time Pepper came with the first installment of fish.
"Gee! that smells good," called Jack a little later when the frying fish, under Rand's skillful manipulation, began to send forth savory odors. "You can sure cook, Rand." ”

“ A good scout is always on the alert, especially in the enemy's country."
"We didn't know we were in the enemy's country," said Rand, "but I guess it is the enemy's country, wherever Monkey is. I'll take the first turn," going off and circling about the place. "I guess he's gone," he said to himself, but no harm looking!"
"Now," said the colonel, after a time, "I think our fish must be pretty nearly cooked. Rake one of them out, Don, and try it, but don't disturb the others until you find out. How is it?"
"Fine!" cried Pepper, who had assisted in the operation. "Couldn't be better. ”

“ 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." ”

“ Let's do it—"
"There's quite a lot of things we have to do first," went on Jack.
"Maybe Rand can tell you more about that part than I can."
"For the first thing," said Rand, "we have to get at least six boys to start with."
"That's two more than us," interjected Pepper; "that's easy."
"And form a tenderfoot patrol," went on Rand.
"Why tenderfoot?" put in Donald.
"Because we are all tenderfeet until we learn to be scouts," continued Rand. "Then if we pass the examinations we become second-class scouts."
"Second class!" objected Pepper. "Why can't we be first class?" ”

“ It was 5 o'clock when they got back to Creston, searching on the way, and Pepper had not returned, or trace of him found.
"What shall we do next?" asked Jack, as they stood undecided in the road.
"What is it now?" asked Colonel Snow, who had come up unperceived.
"We can't find Pepper," answered the boys.
"What is it," went on the colonel, "a game of hide and seek?"
"No, sir," responded Rand; "he went over to Highpoint this morning with a message; I mean he started for Highpoint, but he hasn't been there and he hasn't come back. We are afraid he is lost."
"Lost!" exclaimed the colonel. ”

“ Beside the Uncas and the Highpoint, the Alton, from farther up the river, had also entered. It was not thought, even by their friends, that the Uncas had much chance against the others, whose crews, particularly the Alton's, were much heavier and stronger.
"Is that better?" asked Rand, after they had rowed a short time.
"'Tis a thrifle betther," replied Gerald. "Av ye do as well to-morrow, mebbe we won't be disgraced intirely, Oi dunno."
"Come now, Gerald," pleaded Jack, "tell us how we are doing?" ”

“ Anybody got a match?"
"Yes, sir," replied Jack, "lots of them."
"We only need one," answered the colonel. "A good scout doesn't use more than one match to light a fire. Why, when I was out in Arizona we would make one match do for a whole company."
"Crickets!" exclaimed Pepper, "that was going some."
"Suppose you let me show you how to cook without a stove. Jack, see if you can't find some dry leaves and small twigs. Rand, you can get some bigger pieces, plenty of them. That's the kind. And, Pepper, you and Don bring up a lot of that clay from down there by the water. That's the stuff. ”