CHAPTER IV. SOME WOODS LORE.
"What d'ye call that, now?" exclaimed Step Hen.
Giraffe assumed a superior air, as he hastened to remark:
"Next time you hear an old alligator bull bellow, you'll recognize thesame; but to tell the truth, I'm kind of disappointed, myself, because Iexpected to get something bigger'n that."
"Was it an alligator, Thad?" demanded Davy; while Bumpus was seen toinvoluntarily move a little closer to the tree under which the camp-firehad been made, and the twin, khaki-colored, waterproof tents erected.
The scout-master shook his head in the negative.
"Giraffe's got another guess coming to him this time," he said. "Fromall I've picked up, I reckon we'll not be disappointed when we do hearsome old scaly bull bellow. But they tell me this happens generallyalong toward dawn. And the sound is more like the roaring of a lion,than what a regular bull gives out."
"But what was that we heard, then, Thad?" persisted Step Hen; for longago these boys had taken it for granted that a scout-master should be inthe nature of a "walking encyclopedia," as Bumpus called it, filled tothe brim with general information on every known topic, and ready andwilling to impart the same to the balance of the patrol on request; andtruth to tell they seldom caught Thad Brewster in a hole.
"Well, now, there are a lot of things in a Southern swamp, any one ofwhich might make a noise like that. If you asked me my plain opinion I'dguess it might have been a wandering night heron, which has a hoarsecry, some of you happen to know, because we struck them up in Maine thattime we spent a vacation there."
"What other creatures are we likely to run across here, besides snakesand alligators, runaway coons and the like?" pursued Davy, alwayswanting to know.
"Of course there are muskrats, because you can find them in every swampeast and west, north and south," Giraffe ventured.
"Yes, muskrats are found, though not so many as in the north, and theskins are sometimes hardly worth taking. But there are plenty ofraccoons and 'possums: and I'm told they get quite some otter down here,the most valuable pelt that comes up from the South, selling atsomething like seven dollars a skin."
"Whew! that's talking some," muttered the interested Bumpus. "Did I evertell you fellows that I once had a great notion of starting in to be atrapper? Yes, I even read up a whole lot about it, but kinder gottwisted in the directions of how to go about things, so as not to letthe cunning little varmints get the human odor."
At that there was a general laugh, causing the fat scout to look aroundindignantly; whereupon the others, notably Step Hen, Davy and Giraffeexchanged winks.
"Ain't that so, Thad?" demanded Bumpus, turning to the scout-master.
"You're right about that, Bumpus," came the reply. "Allan here, who hashad lots of experience, will tell you that the most successful trapperis the man who manages somehow to keep from alarming his intended game,both by making few if any tracks around the place where he's put histrap; and by eliminating the human odor that their sensitive nosesdetect."
"There, didn't I tell you?" demanded Bumpus, triumphantly. "Think you'resmart to just sit there and chuckle; but you've all got heaps and heapsto learn about the secrets of the woods. I know my own weakness, and I'mstudying hard, trying to remedy it. You'd never guess what a lot of cutethings them pelt-takers have to put up, in order to fool the woodsfolks; ain't that a fact, Thad?"
Bumpus knew that so long as he could get the scout-master to corroborateall of his statements he was sure of having his opponents in a hole; andit was amusing to see how he managed to accomplish this same thing.
"Yes, it's all mighty interesting," Thad assured them. "Nowadays nearlyevery up-to-date trapper makes use of a prepared scent which he placeson the trap, even if he baits the same. It is sold by dealers in skins;and they say a trapper can get much better results by using this, toattract the little fur-bearing animals."
"What's that, Thad; you tell us they sell this scent to trappers, orsuch as think they have a call in that direction?" demanded Giraffe,suddenly.
"Of course any one can buy any quantity, if he's got the price," Thadassured him. "You seem interested, Giraffe; perhaps, now, you'rethinking of embarking in the game?"
But the lanky one only shook his head, and turning on Bumpus he demandedseverely:
"Looky here, Bumpus, did you, when you read up about all these hereinteresting things connected with trapping the fur-bearing animals ofthe wilderness, ever go so far as to invest a dollar in buying any ofthis wonderful stuff that they say is so fetching that the silly littlebeasts just can't resist it?" and as he said this Giraffe tried to holdthe fat boy transfixed with his piercing gaze--some of them had at onetime even called Giraffe "Old Eagle Eye," earlier readers of thesestories may remember.
"No, I didn't, if you want to know, Giraffe!" Bumpus broke out with;"and I ain't agoing to tell you any more about what I learned; becauseyou're all the time apicking on me, and accusing me of things. I know Imake mistakes sometimes, and that one about not remembering whether Ifetched my mother back the medicine she wanted is abothering me likeeverything right now; but the rest of you are in the same boat, ain'tyou? Here was Giraffe just a little while back awanting to rush afterthat runaway convict, just as if we had lost anything like that. Courseit was a mistake and chances are we'd got in no end of trouble if he'dhad his way. Oh! everybody blunders sometimes; to-day it may be poor oldBumpus; but to-morrow one of the rest of you is in the soup. Forget it,now."
"What about these swamp animals, Thad, or Allan; and why do you say theskins don't bring as good prices when they're taken down here, as in theNorth?" Step Hen wanted to know.
"Don't it stand to reason that the colder the country the thicker thefur Nature gives to the animals that bear it?" asked Allan.
"Why, yes, seems like that ought to be so; and I guess that must be thereason Canada skins bring the best prices of all," Giraffe admitted.
"Sometimes three times as much as ones taken far South," Allan told him.
"I've no doubt that sooner or later we'll find chances to examine thetracks of 'coons, 'possums, foxes, muskrats, and even otter, while we'relooking around," Thad remarked; "and it'll be interesting to notice whatdifference there is between the various animals, as well as between thesame breed up in Maine and down here in Louisiana; for they growsmaller, as a rule, the further south you go. A Florida deer can betoted back to camp on the back of the average hunter, while one up inMichigan or the Adirondacks would need two men and a pole to carry itany distance."
"This sure is mighty interesting," observed Step Hen. "I'm always readyto soak in information connected with the woods. I'm like a big sponge,you might say; ready to give it out again on being squeezed."
"On my part," Giraffe mentioned, "I don't seem able to get that coon outof my head; because, if he was what we think, a hideout escaped convict,chances are he must want a whole lot of things, from a blanket, gun andclothes, to grub."
"That's unkind of you, Giraffe, to bother us with such gloomy thoughtsjust as we are thinking of soon going to bed," remarked Bumpus,uneasily.
"But there's some horse sense in what he says, don't you forget it,Bumpus," pursued Davy.
"That's a fact," added Step Hen. "Just put yourself in his place for awhile, and try to imagine what your feelings'd be like, asneaking arounda camp of boys, nearly half starved at the same time, and scenting thegood smells that fill the air all around--of course I mean cooking meat,coffee and the like. Say, wouldn't it nearly set you crazy; and honestnow, Bumpus, don't you think you'd take some risks to try and hook whatyou wanted so bad?"
Bumpus, upon being thus deliberately appealed to, nodded his head in theaffirmative, and remarked:
"I sure would, and that's a fact, fellows. Then you kinder look for avisitor in camp to-night, do you? And that means everybody's just got tosit up and stand guard, don't it? all right, you'll find me as willingand ready as ever to sacrifice my comfort for the pu
blic welfare. I'malways there with the goods."
"Hear! hear! Bumpus, we all know you like a book!" declared Step Hen,pretending to clap his hands in enthusiasm, though no sound resultedfrom the action.
"Yes, and if the will was father to the deed, there'd be nothing leftundone while Bumpus was around; for he's always ready to try his best,"Allan went on to say, while the object of all this praise turned rosyred with embarrassment.
"Mebbe you're only joshing me, boys," he remarked uneasily, "but I'mtaking it for granted that you mean all you say, and believe me, I'mgrateful. If I wasn't so full of supper I'd get on my feet, put my handon my stomach this way, and make you the best bow I knew how. Like a lotmore of things you'll have to take the intention for the deed there,too. It's a case of the spirit being willing, but the flesh weak."
"Well," said Giraffe, "I didn't know that there was anything weak aboutyou, Bumpus; but never mind starting an argument about it now. We'lljust arrange things so that two scouts are on duty all the time throughthe night. How would that suit you, Mr. Scout-master?"
"Just about right," replied Thad; "because we are now eight, all told,and that would allow us to divide up into four watches. And as Bumpus isso anxious to do his whole duty by the camp, I'll promise to take him onas my side partner when my turn comes."
"Well," mused Giraffe, "it's mighty nice to have a fellow along whoisn't afraid of anything, and will even make a martyr of himself inorder to keep peace in the camp."
"P'raps you wouldn't mind explaining just what you mean by that,Giraffe?" the stout scout quickly remarked, suspiciously.
"Oh! you're as touchy as wildfire, to-night, Bumpus," retorted theother, with a chuckle, as though he felt that he had attained hisobject, which was to excite the curiosity of the fat boy. "Just turnyour mind on what may happen while we sleep, and you'll be happier. Buthere's hoping that breeze keeps acoming from that same quarter all thenight, because then we can plan better."
Davy snickered audibly at this, but Bumpus assumed a lofty air, andwould not pay any further attention to those who were evidently bent onbadgering him.
The Boy Scouts Down in Dixie; or, The Strange Secret of Alligator Swamp Page 4
