Endurance Test; or, How Clear Grit Won the Day

by Burt L. Standish

  CHAPTER II.

  SIGNS OF TROUBLE AHEAD.

  LANDY was certainly badly frightened. The grave manner in which thepatrol leader said this with regard to the ivy poisoning seemed to addto his alarm. Some of the boys afterwards declared that his kneesknocked together, but this the fat boy always indignantly denied.

  Nevertheless it was with an almost plaintive expression that heproceeded to inquire further about his prospects.

  "Poison ivy, you say, Elmer? Was that the stuff growing around that treewe rubbed up against? But Adam was in just as deep as I was; why don'this face burn and turn red like mine?" he asked, as though he consideredit rank injustice that he should be picked out as a victim, whenanother, equally guilty, went scot-free from harm.

  "That's the queer thing about poison ivy," replied Elmer. "While it'sbound to act on most people, more or less, a few can handle it withoutany bad result."

  "That's so," broke in Ty just then. "Why, I've known fellers that wouldbegin to itch and burn if they even set eyes on the old stuff, and Ireckon I'm liable to get a little turn myself; had one spell and theykept doctoring me for a week at home. Hand full of little waterblisters, and I had to be mighty careful, for when they broke theypoisoned wherever the fluid ran. Wow, hope I don't get it again, that'sall!"

  "Oh, my goodness gracious! What's going to become of me, then?" gaspedpoor Landy. "Because I've been crazy enough to rub it all over my face.Me for the hospital, I guess!"

  "Wait!"

  It was Ted who said this, and somehow the very confident tone in whichhe spoke awakened a wild hope in the heart of the lad who was introuble.

  "Oh, Ted, can _you_ do anything for me?" he asked, eagerly, transferringhis attention from Elmer to the other, who had arisen after listening toall that had been said, and now approached the group.

  "Let me look at you firtht," remarked the budding doctor of the troop,gravely.

  He examined the face and hands of the boy closely.

  "When did you rub up againth that vine?" he asked.

  "Why," replied Landy, "just a little bit ago, when Adam was helping meget a snapshot of the camp. It was in the way and we pulled it off thetree. Fact is, I tripped over the old thing and got mad, so I yanked itloose, and Adam, he helped."

  "Then let me tell you, in the firtht plathe, that I don't believe it'thpoithon ivy at all, becauthe that doethn't begin to thow for theveralhourth," said Ted.

  "Oh, bully for you, Ted; it makes me glad to hear you say that!"exclaimed the boy who was in trouble. "But mebbe you can tell if you seethe old vine?"

  "Courthe I can, and here'th Elmer who knowth all about it, too. Did ithave jutht three leaveth to each thtem, do you remember?"

  "Sure, I didn't pay any attention to the leaves, I was so anxious todrag the old thing away so as to get a better view," replied Landy.

  Elmer beckoned to Adam, and the two hurried off. Everyone knew that theyhad gone to view the vine that had been accused of doing so terrible athing to the fat boy.

  Meanwhile, Dr. Ted had picked up a little bag which he usually carriedwith a shoulder strap. Every fellow in the troop knew what that same bagcontained; and indeed, many of them had found reason to bless theforethought that induced their chum to bring it along on every trip foremergencies such as the present. Ted delighted to call it his "vademecum," and most of the scouts had only a hazy conception of what thosewords meant, though they appreciated the bag all right.

  "If it wath really poithon ivy," went on Ted, "the firtht thing to bedone would be to wath the thurfathe of the thkin with warm water, andthen apply thith weak tholution of permanganate of potath. It'th aboutthree per thent, and the color of wine, you thee. It'll dithcolor thethkin, of courthe, and for a while Landy can path for an Injun; but itdoeth the work. Elmer put me in touch with the good it can do. He thaythevery hunter of big game out in India and Africa alwayth carrieth thomealong, to take out the poithon if he geth clawed by a tiger, a lion orany other carnivorouth beatht."

  There was some hot water, fortunately, and in another minute thequick-witted camp doctor had bathed the face and hands of the patientwith this, as warm as Landy could stand it. Then he started to apply thecontents of the small bottle, to the intense enjoyment of Ty who seemedto consider the whole thing in the light of a huge joke.

  "Say, you'll be a beaut, Landy, and no mistake!" he chuckled.

  "What's that matter, if it only does the business?" demanded the other.

  "That'th common thenthe, anyhow," commented Ted, as he continued tomake sure that every inch of affected skin was liberally treated withthe liquid, which, as he said before, was of a magenta color.

  "There comes Elmer, and now we'll know," remarked Ty.

  The other two came hurrying back to camp. Poor Landy, whose eyes werereally looking half shut, turned a beseeching gaze upon the patrolleader.

  "Was it poison ivy, Elmer?" he asked, anxiously.

  "Not in a thousand years," came the hearty reply.

  "Oh, that's almost too good to be true!" said Landy, with the tearsstanding in his eyes, for he had begun to fear that he was in for ahorrible experience.

  "What was it then?" asked Ty.

  "I don't know," replied the other. "Some of your plants here are strangeto me, and I reckon it's able to bring on a burning and a swellingsensation in a hurry, like lots of them are, with some people. But itcan't be anything as bad as the real rhus tox. I've seen some seriouscases of poisoning from ivy. And, Ted, I think you're doing the wisething to use that potash solution."

  "It can't do any harm," remarked the doctor, "and you thee, it'th boundto do thome good. Of courthe Landy will look like the dickenth fortheveral dayth, but he'th a lucky boy if he geth off that eathy."

  "Sure I am," affirmed the victim, readily. "Paint away all you like.Tell you what, fellers, she feels some better already. Perhaps, afterall, I won't have to be led home with my face lookin' like a big punkinand my eyes out of sight."

  "We may be happy yet," remarked Ty, who could be cheerful because it wasnot _his_ face that burned and stung as though nettles had done theirwork. "And, Elmer, would you mind if I once more turned my attention togetting grub ready? I've got a terrible vacuum down here, and you knowwe learned at school that Nature abhors a vacuum."

  "I'll do more and help you get supper ready, Ty," replied the other. "Wecan leave Landy in the hands of Dr. Ted. He'll make him lie down andrest; and above all things keep his hands from his face. It's good hetook hold of the case so quick, for the poison hasn't had much chance toget in."

  So the work went on, two of the boys hovering over the fire that hadbeen started, while Adam ran errands for Dr. Ted. Landy was given ablanket and told to keep quiet, but he insisted on lying so that hecould watch the cooks out of the corners of his eyes, and every now andthen he would sniff the air as though his appetite had not been entirelychased away by his misfortune.

  When the coffee was done boiling, the Boston baked beans heated to aturn and everything ready, Elmer opened the odd oven in the ground.

  "Why, they're nearly as hot as when we put 'em in!" declared thewondering Ty, as he unwrapped the two young chickens that had come fromthe friendly farmer.

  Landy sat upright presently.

  "Here, don't you dare to forget me!" he called out, as he saw the othersabout to sit down around the spot where the supper was spread.

  "But sick people should never eat a bite," declared Ty, unable to resistthe opportunity to tantalize the patient, whose one weakness lay in hisenormous appetite, which he could never seem to control.

  "I ain't sick, though," retorted the other, getting up with an effort.

  "I always heard that it was the right thing to starve a fever, and stuffa cold," Ty went on, deliberately helping himself to a portion of afowl, which almost fell to pieces in his hands, it was so tender andwell done; "and I guess you've got the fever, all right. Anyhow, you'reas red as a chief in the Buffalo Bill show."

  "Oh, let up on that, Ty Collins!" cried Landy, indig
nantly. "Just giveme half a chance, and I'll mighty soon show you who's sick around here.I can make them chickens look that way, I want you to know. Here, makeroom for me! Looks don't count in camp. Just think I'm sunburned, that'sall. Elmer, help me to some of that delicious coffee, won't you? I'vebeen smelling it this long time. It would go right to the spot, Ibelieve."

  "Sure I will, Landy," replied the other, smilingly; "and it does me goodto know you're feeling so much better. But let's hope this will be alesson to you never to handle vines that you don't know."

  "It will, I promise you, Elmer," replied the other, earnestly. "And thefirst time you run across some of the genuine poison ivy just call me,please. I've heard so much about it that I want to know the stuff so Ican beware."

  "I saw some only a few hours back, and to-morrow I'm going to take youand Adam and Ty there to impress its looks on your minds. It may saveyou a heap of suffering if you expect to roam much in the woods afterthis."

  Landy was feeling much better. Indeed, the swelling seemed to be goingdown rapidly, and even the burning, itching sensation had yielded to theapplication of that wonderful remedy.

  Everybody, even Ty, felt glad of this, for Landy was a jolly chum andthey must miss him very much had he been compelled to be taken home insuffering.

  "Hot work, this cooking in summer weather, fellows," observed Ty, as helooked up from cleaning off his tin platter.

  "Then why don't you shed that terrible old red sweater?" suggestedElmer, though he knew beforehand that Ty would find lots of excuses fordeclining.

  Winter and summer, Ty always wore that old flaming sweater when engagedin any outdoor game, whether it be skating, playing hockey, football,baseball, or even going fishing. The season seemed to make no differenceto him, though some of his chums declared that the mere sight of thething made them perspire.

  "What, this!" he exclaimed, as though astonished that anyone shouldmention the subject. "Why, I just couldn't do a thing minus my jolly oldsweater. It's been on all sorts of jobs with me. I look on it as my bestfriend. Nobody knows how many colds it's saved me from. I'd just feellost without it on, that's what."

  "But in hot weather like this it must make you swelter," continuedElmer.

  "Not much it don't. Why, don't you know it _keeps the warmth out_?That's what I read once, and I believe in it, too. Besides, all thefellers have got so used to seeing me with it on that they'd pass me byif I dropped it," grinned Ty.

  "That'th tho," remarked Ted.

  No one suspected just then what an important part that same red sweaterwas to play in a game that might change Ty's mind, and that before manyhours had passed.

  The supper was pronounced prime, and a vote of thanks taken for thefarmer who had once been a boy himself and could appreciate theappetite of five fellows who were camping out.

  A tent had been brought along, and into this the five crowded when thehour had grown late, and everyone admitted that he was "real sleepy."

  Nothing out of the way happened during the night. There were no wildanimals of any consequence around that part of the country, althoughfarther north hunters got deer, and even a black bear had been shot theprevious spring. Now and then a sly fox would create a little excitementamong the neighboring farmers by slipping into their henroosts andcarrying off a fat fowl. Mink might be found along the smallertributaries to the Sweetwater; muskrats were plentiful in the marshland, and some smart trappers made quite a little sum taking these smallanimals during the season.

  Of course raccoons and possums abounded, as they always do around thesmaller towns all through the middle East. Elmer, waking in the nightand coming out to stretch his legs because the presence of five in asmall tent cramped the quarters somewhat, amused himself for some timein listening to the various sounds that came from the woods close by.

  To one not familiar with the voices of the forest folks, these mighthave passed as unmeaning noises, but he could place every one. Inimagination he saw the bushy-tailed coon trying to scoop up a fish fromthe end of the log that ran down into the water; he could follow themovements of the fat possum climbing the tree to her nest in a hollowlimb, and that angry snarling he understood came from a couple of slimmink who had met while patrolling the bank of a small creek on theirnightly rounds.

  Morning came at last, and as the boys emerged from the tent, the firstthing they did was to take a plunge in the river. Even Landy was onhand, looking very comical, it is true, with his stained hands and face,but feeling quite "chipper," as he declared, when Elmer asked concerningthe state of his health.

  They could all swim, of course, even Landy, who earlier in the seasonhad been utterly ignorant concerning the first rudiments of how to keepafloat; but association with the other scouts in camp had caused him totake lessons, and Elmer had shown him how useful the knowledge ofswimming may prove to any boy at some unexpected time.

  "Whose turn to go for milk this morning?" asked Elmer, after they haddressed.

  "I reckon it's mine," remarked Ty. "Some other fellow must start gettingbreakfast, then. Perhaps Adam may turn out as good a cook as he is adiver. Here, give me the directions how to take that short cut to thefarmer's shack."

  So, presently, Ty wandered off, carrying the tin pail for the milk. Thegetting of breakfast went on apace. Adam seemed willing to act as anassistant to Elmer, and between them they soon had things in an advancedstage.

  "Thay, that Ty ought to be here with the lacteal fluid," remarked Ted,who often amused his chums by spouting big words.

  "That's so," remarked Elmer, "and as Adam is busy here and poor oldLandy recuperating from a bad attack of sunburn, I'll appoint you acommittee of one to meander along the trail and hustle Ty up."

  Ted hurried away, for he was beginning to feel the gnawing sensation ofa hunger that always attacks growing boys soon after arising. Besides,that cold dip seemed to just give them all an additional zest.

  Ten minutes later Landy jumped up in considerable excitement.

  "Look there, fellers!" he exclaimed, pointing along the trail over whichTed had recently passed, "ain't that our chum Ted comin' back on thedead run and waving his hands like fun? Tell you what, something's justgone and happened to Ty! That's what he gets for making fun of me.P'raps he's run across a rattlesnake! You know that farmer said theykilled one up here last year, and we did the same early this season. Oh,my, I hope not!"