Boy Scouts: Tenderfoot Squad

l Artha! It's a mad cat

ed to retreat in hot haste. The angry Scotch lad, snatching up another billet of wood, was about to

restraining hand; "let the poor thing trot along.

t any fearsome wild beastie do that wi

p a few points about eating, and the like? He was within his rights, and you had no business to knock him down with that chunk of wood. He happened to fall on your shoulders, and commenced scratching and clawing when you jabbed at him so with your hands.

ung hi

advanced by the other. "Anyway, it's too late now to chase after him, for the beastie is

and he might have scratched out both your eyes before the rest of us could lift a hand to save you. Better go slow but sure, Alec. And try to look at things

tha meant; but then, as time passed and he became more accustomed to this strange camp life, now so ne

ess fresh interest. He knew he was going to like that sort of thing first-rate, he told the other; which acknowledgme

blaze instantly called up fond memories of numerous former occasions when in the woods, and camping amidst the solitudes they had met with all sorts of interesting

and glorious opportunities to show the tenderfoot squad all sorts of things that it was of

and the rudely-built table set with all sorts of good things besides, from cookies, jam, home-made pies, pickles, and such articles as the crafty George had prev

m the entire party. Twilight was upon the land as they sat down to enjoy that glorious spread; and both

the first meal under such conditions, and remember how wonderfully good everything did taste. The food at home neve

ine, especially since Rufus and Alec had fairly gorged them

ufus, spoiled at home by a doting mother; "I'm feeling too fine to be di

o new recruits must learn that duty always precedes pleasure with a scout. Afte

those who are delegated with the task. I'll be only too glad to show you and Alec how to go about it, in case you haven't had any experience; but the pot of hot water is waiting, and none of us c

then Alec jumped up, being more ready to give

e should be able to manage, I ken. And then for a lang evenin' listenin' to the stories Lil Artha, here,

lowed the Scotch lad and Elmer over to where the dishpan was hung on a convenient nail, together with a supply of towels, and s

any discouragements, and sometimes feel that the task was beyond their strength, especially in connection with Rufus, who had allowed such a multitude of tares to grow amidst the good se

y first night in camp. The moon had already set, being young, and darkness hung over the scene. Strange sounds, too, welled up out of that gloom to thrill the greenhorns as they listen

a fiendish sound like the laugh of an evil sprite and which chilled the blood in the veins of the tenderfoot scouts; later on they heard tree frogs commence their

The two greenhorns really believed some man was calling out and making fun of them. Rufus, on his part, jumped to the conclusion that the poacher, possibly under the influence of liquor, was daring them t

oots continued to be wafted to them on the night air, the tenderfoot scouts would move uneasily, and exhibit fresh traces of interest borde

fter a while managed to find forgetfulness in honest slumber, the other pair tossed back and forth, changed their hem

ressed it. Every fellow has to be broken in before he can sleep, when camping out for the first time; the great wilderness around seems peopled with countless unseen, but never

in grow accustomed to the difference between their own soft beds within the four walls

ed around him many times; and even crept out twice to throw additional fuel on the fire, because he hated to see it getting so dismally dark around, with all those queer sou

en into a doze, found himself aroused by some one talking, and opening his eyes di