The Boy Scouts Along the Susquehanna

izing what a perilous position the stout scout would be in if tha

y believed what he was saying with such a vim; or else considered that by magnifyi

gs pealing over the field, because Bumpus had already

d been the special object of his attention. It was therefore much easier for him to reach this ha

ing up on the fence in his great excitement, so that h

kept straight on without a stop, for she could cover two yards to his one. For some reason which only a cow or bull could understand, the animal seem

he succeeded in gaining the tree, with his f

ctacle several times as he looked anxiously over his fat shoul

the scheming Giraffe called for an ascent in sixty seconds, but he now had good reason for desiring to shorten this limit exceedingly. He doubtle

k within the limit of time specified in his arrangement with Giraf

a victim; one was begging him with tears in his eyes to "get a move on him!" while another warned

s excitement he lost his grip, and in consequence slipped down again

. She could be heard giving a series of strange moaning sounds peculiarly terrifying; at least Bumpus evidently thought

d the tree

er since its formation, Bumpus was quite accustomed to obeying any order which the other might give. Doubtless, he recognized the accustomed

saw Bumpus move around the tree, and heard a loud crash when t

ill, and allow the tree to shelter him the best it could, all might have gone well; but something that may have been boyish curiosity impelled the fat scout to thrust out his

r all of a sudden she was seen to be in motion again. There was a flash of du

that he was a very clumsy fellow, and apt to trip over his own feet when excited, so that the danger o

h glee, while shouting all manner of brotherly advice at Bumpus. This of course fell on deaf ears, because just then

ces never would be able to extricate himself from the bad fix into which he had stu

ike the butcher that took her calf away,

on to say; "because then you could throw that poor

d Thad severely. "You got poor old Bumpus in that ho

ently about believing himself able to down the

him. The exercise ought to do Bumpus good, for he's been putting on too much flesh lately, you know. You'll have to e

other's inordinate love for practical joking made him blind to

the patrol leader

mpus was getting pretty well winded by now, thanks to the rapid manner in whic

your neck, and put it in your p

, that much of the cow's anger was excited by seeing the hated color so prominently displayed by th

got to unfasten the knot by which his big bandanna was secured

e attention of the angry cow, for he was waving his own red handkerchief wildly as he ran, and doing everything else in his power to attract notice. Then, if he did succeed in luring the animal towa

tracting the attention of the cow, for he saw her stop in

ng, Thad!"

hat flaunting red rag bade her defiance, apparently, and no re

ot hankering to play the part of a bull-baiter, and run the cha

t there seemed to be little likelihood of her stopping short of the fence, Thad nimbly darted along, and just at the pro

the cow as he could, so as to hold her attention; while she butted

mpus, who, winded by his recent tremendous exertions, had actual

he tree between the cow and yourself all you can. Don't waste a single minute, because s

he woods" so long as no fence separated him from that fighting cow, Bumpus s

t would allow the tree to cover him, and the fat scout in this

e discovered him again, for the first thing

mes, licketty-split after you! To the fence, and

k over his shoulder for fear of being petrified by the awful sight of that "m

ssibly arriving at the repentant stage, had begun to realize that a joke may oft

to spare. Hardly had Davy and Giraffe managed to follow after him, so that all three landed beyond the barrier, when t

wet with perspiration; but nevertheless he looked suspiciously at Giraffe,

ll scout, shaking his head in the negative, while he grinned at Bumpus.

, Giraffe-I'd consider that you played me a

g disposition, that it really seemed a shame to take advantage of his confiding nature. So Giraffe turned aside, and amused himself by thrusting his hand, containing his ow

called a "hauling over the coals" by the patrol leader, and fully expected to see Thad drop back to join him. The sooner the unpleasant episode wa

saw that the other was observing him severely. He fully expected to hear something unpleasant about the

the other day, Giraffe," he said quietly,

ffe, glad at least that the others of the party were far enough ahead so th

The lecturer went on to say that when a boy throws a rubber ball against a wall it bounds back, and, unless he is

ting one over on me to pay the score," admitted Giraffe; but Thad di

hat pain he might be causing others," Thad went on, at which Giraffe winced, for the shaft went home. "One day he was playing on a hillside with their big dog,

He saw a chance to have a great lark. He would roll a stone so as to hit the nest, and send Rover after it. Th

s nest. Rover was in full pursuit, and he banged up against it, too. Out came a bla

ver had such a bully time in all his life as just then. Rover was a fine dog, and the boy thought just heaps of him; but then it was so

ny then. And, Giraffe, inside of ten seconds there was a boy running madly down the hill, fighting a thousand mad hornets that stung him everywhere, and set him to yelling as if he were half crazy. When he got home finally, an

rkey that ever strutted and gobbled. Giraffe at least

's a hummer, all right, and I won't ever forget it, either, I promise you. It was a cruel

than to be taken to task any further, walked away, to rejoin Allan, who was at the head of the expedition. Nor did Gi