Boy Scouts of the Air on Lost Island

y's country, before a practical plan occurred to the ten-brain-power plotters. But the scheme, once its

s possible, hugging the opposite shore to a point about two hundred yards below the island, where the east bank spurred off into a fairly high hill. Here one of the boys was

oy Scouts, and Dave and Frank, were to gather as conspicuously as possible-a flaring camp

afe landing of Jerry and Phil. Once they were ashore, the dense bus

nd forth, building a camp fire and preparing supper. Four of them had set up the tents, finish

e was no extra "silverware" save the cook's big utensils. So the three outsiders ate with fingers and pocketknives. A nice mess of perch had been caught in a near-by creek, and Frank

ht seemed to drop suddenly from above. Licking the last morsel of the delicious fish from his grea

, Phil, if

the skillet to be empty, because I knew you'd never stir

my brains. I notice you're a light eater

This is no picnic excursion you're starting off on. And don't for

alf minute later there wer

Run, to cut across at the wagon bridge. Two stealthy figures hurried through the woods and across

d disgust. "When you skulked through the brush the limbs could

stumbled over your shadow I thought you were ducking

They passed a farmhouse-at good speed, for a dog came out and after a few suspicious sniffs proceeded to s

xt farmhouse, which they passed as silently as possib

-see if you can whistle a patch onto my leggins," Phil su

to get to the bridge. He had never gone this way, but he had once heard a farmer giving directions to a party of autom

ured to ask when the road suddenly became

way. We always fish o

um

then that this is

, didn't it? And the other roa

l eat my hat. It might just be a private road to some farm, and the other roa

those trees yonder I ca

right. Sh

but you'll walk through marsh all the way to the bridge if you try to follow the bank. I remembe

ady gone back a good fifty feet of the way to the othe

the matt

ed enough time, without los

d we're losing now by standing stil

ar; I guess it won't hurt you to follow it a

that once or twice he had spoken to the Scout leader just as he

that the other way is the best way, and I've got to follow it. S

ess, a pleased grin spread over his face, for he was soon aware that Phil was tagging along not many paces behind. That had always been th

er boy fell into step beside him as once more they reached

the upper bridgework against the dark sky. Jerry did no

e if we get on the other si

ched bottom they saw that their fears were groundless, for there lay the Big Four as Jerry and Dave had left her eighteen hours before. Deep footprints in the mud

the Scout boat's oars fit the Big Four's oarlocks. But at last they were off and Jerry bent to his task. The Big Four had been built for speed, and the craft was trimmed just right for get

," suggested Phil, bu

k I'll pull in at that little cove just ahead. It makes a little longer

signaling stunt that Dick and I have been figuring o

brush; then all was still. Jerry strained his eyes to see if he could make out the figure of Dick, who must be almost directly opposite, but only the

ps fifteen minutes he heard a footstep on the

nced the Scout leader. "Bet you

n't," conf

ght think it was just lightning or the interurban. So I just snapped about a dozen straight up into the air, until I got a return flash from Dick. Then I used this." He

s heart a deep respect was forming for t

, taking his place in the stern. "And be careful wit

dling a boat. Without a sound-without a ripple, almost-

nd, I guess. If they're watching, it's t

only seen o

t's about time for the boys to-listen to those Indian

t sounded as if the island were about to be attacked by a war party of Sioux. A

eserted your banner and joi

ivery feeling of being watched, but no sign was apparent as they floa

e together," suggest

A whisper carries twice as far," countered Phil. Jer

ory; the ground was boggy in spots, and once Jerry sank almost to his knees in oozy mud. A screech owl hooted in a tree clo

r the night was uncannily still. It was a great relief, therefore, when the underbrush suddenly gave way to a few low

the idea and agreed. They were nearly halfway around the open plot when they struck a path, evidently l

do believe,"

risk goi

und now. Let's ta

row, shed-like structure, perhaps twenty feet wide and running far back into the darkness. They approached it cautiously and began feeling carefully along the higher side for som

bin of some kind less

s had found something that felt like a

lmost stop beating. The knob had been turned in his hand! But befo

ear it?" g

, his voice trembli

e cabin came a sound that set every nerve on edge.