The Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts: Under Canvas

d not heard one groan, or give any kind of sound. Consequently his imagination was called upon to conjure up a series of queer, blo

ht have shivered in their shoes. As for the Southern boy, he lay there amidst the brush, and kept his eyes glued all the time on the

ki sleeve; it was a mute confession that while never a doubter like George,

ning might have upon the four boys who had stolen a march u

rson in town, the quartette must have heard strange stories connected with the abandoned Cartaret place, for such things have a way of traveling

ngs over seriously, and expressed many a fervid hope that their piratical operations might not

at each other, while their mouths co

m a birch bark horn. He certainly was making a great success of his music, his comrades thought, as

tart to rise, as their hair stood on end; though an element of doubt always surrounded thi

as though seeing protection in mutual sympathy. It was a plain case of "united we stand, divided we fall!" And clutching at one another they conti

ot come prepared to launch such a thing. Ghosts were hardly in his line; and in lieu of a specimen for exhibition purpos

ow

d," as Josh later on aptly described it. No matter how much frightened Connie Mallon and his cronies might seem to be, if they stood by their

series of throbbing sounds that were likely to add to the consternation of the listeners; Ted clapped two stones together;

, yes more th

e become convinced that their raid on the preserves of the ghostly guardian of the haunted Cartaret place had

would have known that no self respecting ghost was ever caught giving public exhibitions of his oddities in broad d

lding the other three back. They went plunging madly on in his wake, paying little attention to the dire

pains to increase the racket, under the impression that once

for should one of them so far forget himself enough to give vent to a genuine boyish shout, perhaps the

hrough the birch bark megaphone; "but keep well back, so that they can't get a look-in

out of the bushes, and accompanied their progress with all manner of novel sounds,

ror; or else found himself tripped up by a wild grape-vine that lay in wait for unwary feet. As Toby declared later on, all this was "just pie" for

very much; he knew in which direction lay their wagon, for which he had been in the act of sending one

ely held his eager clan in. Far be it from them to wish to delay the departure of

en!" said Elmer

, quickly, in a low, husky voice; "you ought to have said, 'Stop!

ll!" cautione

f horses' hoofs, as though the excitement had communicated to the team use

when a dozen more seconds had dragged past, and they felt they might safely assum

ch bark horn, and the others doing all in their power to accompany him in regular o

announced that they were now sharing the general excitement. Then came cries urging haste, and presently the plain unm

he departing vehicle as it flashed past small glades where the view happened to be unobstructed; and it was certainly "killing," as George called it, to see those fellows bouncing about in t

uts could tell from the change in sounds that those who were fleeing from the wrath of the ghost

he five boys turned and looked at each oth

afe to let off steam now

t to be too noisy, go

le laughing, and giving queer gurglings that were meant to serve his pent-up emotions about as the es

. Ted, Chatz and George went around shaking hands, and assuring each other that never in all their l

e of the Connie Mallon gang from the raid of the Cartaret ghosts. And say, what thrilling stories they'll have to tell about it all! Believe me, the whole Hickory Ridge wil

ake when it came to covering ground. Did you thee him clear that log like a buck? I bet you h

ses I'd like to guess they'll keep on the wild run till they get home. And there isn't muc

that crowd happens to own for them to change their minds, and come back here. And that's why I wanted

to tell, the superstitious Southern boy was already wondering whether all this playing

spoils of battle belong to the victors every time; and besides, they were trying to beat us out of our share as first discoverers. For

ideas were certainly not so pronounced as those of George, w

not wishing to be left in the lurch, had to bring his kicking

proceeded to take up the work where the late nut-gatherers had left off. They climbed trees, and whipped the branches with the long poles, delighting in the sound of splendid nuts rattling down like hail. There is such a fascinati

n heaps in all my life, as there are right here!" declared George; "a big bag apiec

'm sure none of us would think of wanting, as

e them for the ghost, are

to Connie Mallon as a consolation prize; he'll find the