Boy Scout Fire Fighters

by Richard Harding Davis

  CHAPTER V

  A SCOUT IS RESOURCEFUL

  Bedlam reigned at the quarry hole. A score of frantic circus men wereshouting orders at each other, lanterns were bobbing about among thewagons, and every one was beside himself with excitement. One littlegray-haired man seemed almost distraught over the situation. He wasstorming up and down the road, alternately roaring commands anddelivering tirades against everything in general. It was quite evidentthat he was the manager of the outfit.

  "Now we're in a fine mess," he thundered as he strode to the edge of thequarry and peered down into the darkness. "It's so dogon dark down therewe can't even see th' brute. How'll we ever get him out? That's what Iwant to know. Hang the man who's responsible for this mess! Gol-dingt'--_wush_--_phew_."

  His soliloquy on the brink of the quarry hole ended abruptly when with asnort the elephant shot a trunk full of water out of the darkness,bowling the little man over and drenching every thing and everybody.

  "Kill t' beast! Kill him, Gol--ding his hide!" screamed the drippingmanager as he picked himself up out of the mud. But he was such acomical figure that every one shouted with laughter.

  To Bruce and the Scouts the whole situation was extremely humorous.Evidently the lead elephant had wandered into the washout and lost hisfooting. The next thing he knew he had slid with a big splash into thequarry hole. And then, having a fondness for water and seeing no way toclimb up the twenty-foot wall of rocks, he had decided to stay there andhave a thoroughly good time.

  But Bruce realized that they could not indulge their humor long, for asguardians of the road it was their duty to give all the assistance theycould. Hastily the patrol leader made an inspection of the pit by thelight of his pocket flash. He remembered a derrick on one side of thecut. And he hastened to look that over, for already he was beginning toform plans for getting the beast out of trouble.

  He noted with satisfaction that the derrick had been only partlydismantled and that the rusty steel cable was coiled up in a pile besidethe heavy upright. Then he returned to the roadside and approached theagitated little manager.

  "We are the Guardians of the Highways for Woodbridge, sir," he said, "andwe would--"

  "You are the WHAT!" roared the manager.

  "The Guardians of the Highways and--"

  "Well, why in tarnation didn't yuh guard 'em then? I--I--I--"

  Bruce interrupted the sputtering manager by pointing to the red light.

  "There's our light. We did our part. It must have been your fault. Butno matter; we'll help you get the animal out of the quarry if you'll letus.

  "How'll yuh do it? Haven't got a thing in my outfit t' pull him outwith."

  "Oh, we'll do it all right," said Bruce. Then briefly he outlined hisplan to the skeptical circus manager. And when he had finished talkingthe old man looked at him in amazement.

  "Can you do all that?" he demanded.

  "Sure we can," said Bruce. "We're the Boy Scout Engineers. Just loan mesome of your canvas men who know how to rig a block and tackle and we'llhave the elephant on his way to St. Cloud by daylight at the latest."

  "All right, I'll go you," said the manager.

  Bruce gathered about him all the Scouts not doing patrol duty.

  "Fellows," he said, "we can get the elephant out of the hole all right,but it will mean some hard work. I want you, Romper, to go back toWoodbridge and tell the parents of every fellow here that we have seriouswork to do. Tell them not to worry if we don't get back until late.Then I want the Owl Patrol to go to headquarters and get all the No. 10wire we have on hand, load it on a couple of wheelbarrows and startstringing a line from our switchboard in the machine shop down to thequarry hole here.

  "String it along the fences and where you have to cross Druery road putit overhead from tree to tree. Remember, no monkeying with the telegraphor telephone poles! We can be arrested for anything like that. Romper,you can stop in and ask Mr. Ford if he won't go up to Headquarters andconnect up the new line. I don't think we should fuss with theswitchboard at night.

  "Now, I want the Blue Herons to go to headquarters and disconnect the bigfive-horsepower motor on the lathe. Load it aboard 'Old Nanc' and bringit down here as fast as you can. On your way turn in at Druery road andrun up to the Baldwin quarries. Ask Dave Porter, the night foremanthere, if you can borrow the largest and heaviest blasting mat he has.We'll need that. Now hurry, fellows."

  The Scouts started off immediately, and Bruce turned to the circusmanager.

  "Now, if you'll bring your canvas men along, I'll give them a good, hardjob. It's one we boys couldn't handle. Are you ready?"

  "Sure!" said the manager. Then to his men, "Come on, boys!"

  Bruce led the group around the quarry hole to the north side and pointedout the derrick and the coil of rusted steel cable.

  "Here's what we'll lift the elephant out with, providing the boom willhold and your men can string the heavy cable through the pulleys atnight."

  "Huh! our end of it is no trick for a bunch of canvasbacks," said theforeman of the gang. "Get busy, boys, quick now! Some of you bring somegasoline torches so's we kin see! Move now, you fellers!"

  In five minutes the circus men were working like beavers, weaving thecable through the pulleys, placing the heavy boom and getting the derrickfitted up for service. The system and speed with which the trained tentriggers went about their task was nothing short of marvelous to Bruce.He watched them almost fascinated until the little manager came up andclaimed his attention.

  "Look here you feller, I ain't sure your scheme is goin' t' work out,"said he, skeptically. "How'er we goin' t' get some light into t' hole t'see the brute? These gasoline torches can't be lowered down there. Theelephant would go wild and probably drowned hisself, an' if--"

  "I'm figuring on using the headlights of Old Nanc (that's the troop'sautomobile we built last winter) for searchlights. They are powerfulenough and can be turned anywhere we need 'em. There, you can get a lookat them now. That's Old Nanc on her way here."

  Up the road sounded a siren, and the little manager turned to see twoheadlights bowling toward him. It was Old Nanc loaded down with theheavy motor, blasting mat and tools.

  "Fine, Bud; you made a fast trip. How are the wire stringers gettingalong?" shouted Bruce to the Scout who was driving the machine.

  "We passed them about a hundred and fifty yards from here. They arecoming along in fine shape."

  "Good," said Bruce. "Now bring Old Nanc right up to the edge of thequarry hole. We want to shine her headlights down into there and seewhat it looks like below. Some of the circus men can unload the motor,and Nipper, you can show them how to set it up on the derrick platform.And while all this is going on, Babe, you take charge of making a sling.Take this blasting mat and get a couple of circus men to help you head asection of cable to each of the four corners. Fasten the ends togetheraround that rusty derrick hook attached to the end of the cable. Hurryit, will you, fellows?"

  With the help of some of the "canvas-backs," the automobile was workedoff of the road and into the field on the north side of the quarry holenear the derrick. Then it was pushed cautiously toward the edge of thepit and its wheels blocked by some big pieces of marble so that it wouldnot roll into the hole. The rays of the headlights dispelled thedarkness below immediately and there was His Highness the Elephant,almost submerged, looking up at them with his ridiculously small eyes.

  "Huh! Consarn it! I _knew_ you kids was playin' me fer a fool," roaredthe circus manager when he looked into the cut. "How'er you're goin' tohitch anything around _that_ animal, I'd like to know?"

  "We don't intend to hitch anything around him. We're going to make asling of that big blasting mat and raise him out that way."

  "Yes!" roared the furious manager, "but how in tarnation are you going toget it _under_ his belly? Think some one is going down there and divebetween his legs with your blooming old sling, do yuh? That animal isnearly all under wate
r, remember."

  To tell the truth, that question _had_ been bothering Bruce from thefirst. He had hoped that the water was only two or three feet deep. Butthere was at least ten feet of drainage in the quarry hole! He stoodbeside Old Nanc and bit his lips in his embarrassment. Luck seemedagainst him. Was everything going to fall through at the last moment?

  He did not answer the irate manager, but began to turn one of theheadlights slowly so its rays illuminated the west wall of the hole.Then suddenly the light paused, and a smile crept over the boy's face.The white beams had revealed to him a shelf of marble two feet above thewater-line and at least ten feet across, skirting the lower edge of thewest wall. He saw defeat turned into victory!

  "Will that elephant mind his trainer?" Bruce demanded of the manager.

  "Huh! Will he? Well, you'd better guess he will!" stormed the man.

  "Then everything is simple. You lower the trainer in a bo'son's chairover the west wall there and down to that ledge of marble. He can coaxthe animal out of the water and up on the rocks, and after that we cansend a couple more men down with the sling and they can do the rest. Seethe plan?"

  "Well, I'll be hanged! You win, young feller," said the manager, smilingfor the first time since the accident.

  At this point the lads of the Owl Patrol reached the quarry holetrundling several empty wheelbarrows. Jiminy Gordon was carrying theremains of the last roll of wire.

  "Here we are, Bruce, ready to connect up, but you'd better believebuilding a line at night is no easy job, by Jiminy."

  "Guess it isn't," said Bruce in a businesslike tone. "Is Mr. Ford atheadquarters?"

  "Yes, he's waiting to turn on the current whenever he gets your signal."

  "Great!" said Bruce. "I was a little worried about that. There isn'tany real danger, but you might have made a ground or a short circuit andupset everything." Then turning to Nipper Knapp, he shouted, "How aboutthe motor, Nipper?"

  "Set and ready for connections," shouted the Scout.

  "Right-o! Then we'll have Mr. Elephant out of the hole in a jiffy,"shouted Bruce, as he seized the two ends of the wires and began to bendthem about the terminals of the motor. He worked with speed and accuracyand the little circus manager could not help commenting on his skill asan electrician.

  "Hum! I guess you lads know what you're doin', all right," he said.

  "Well, we hope our efforts are successful," said Bruce. Then he added,"It's time you sent your trainer down there on the ledge to get theelephant out of the water."

  "Don't worry, son; we ain't losin' no time on our end of this game. He'sdown there now an'--."

  Shouts of laughter from the crowd assembled around the edge of the holeinterrupted the little manager.

  He and Bruce both looked up involuntarily. Then they, too, burst intouproarious laughter at the spectacle.

  The trainer had gone down onto the ledge with an armful of bread loavesto tempt the elephant out of the water. There he stood holding out aloaf invitingly while the elephant, still half submerged, held his greatmouth open and his trunk aloft expecting the man to toss the bread towardhim. But this was not the trainer's intention.

  "Come on, Toby; come on. Yuh gotta come out t' git this meal," hecalled.

  The elephant moved a little closer and waved his trunk aloft impatientlyas if beckoning the trainer to toss the loaf.

  "Oh, no, yuh don't. Come on out, Toby; come on--Hi! Go! ding yuh,leggo!-- Hi! _Help!_ Help!"

  Toby had refused to be tempted any longer. The waving trunk descendedand wrapped quickly about the trainer's leg. Then slowly the animalbegan to pull the man toward the water. The trainer was startled halfto death. He dropped the bread and began to struggle mightily, for theblack water looked cold to him even though the elephant did seem to enjoyit. He clutched at the smooth marble floor and tried to brace himself withhis unincumbered leg, shouting lustily all the time.

  "Hi! help me! Help! Kill th' beast! I don' wanna git a duckin'!I--I--got a cold in--my--" _Splash--blub--blub--blub--_

  Toby's black little eyes seemed to twinkle with mischief as he gave afinal tug and plunged the trainer into the water. Then while the manfloundered about, the animal deliberately put his two front feet onto theedge of the shelf and reached out toward the pile of loaves. One by onehe picked them up and deftly slipped them into his mouth, disregardingthe shouts of the trainer.

  But once in the water the man decided that he would stay in and drive theelephant out.

  "Hi, Jerry," he shouted. "Throw me down the pike. I'll git the blastedcritter out o' here if it takes me all night!"

  Jerry tossed the short pike pole down onto the shelf and the trainerclimbed out to get it. When the elephant saw the pole he immediatelybegan to wade across the quarry hole.

  "Oh, no, yuh don't, Toby. I'll git yuh, now," shouted the man, as heplunged back into the water and began to swim toward the beast.

  "Git outa here, yuh brute," he thundered, when he came alongside the hugebulk. And he accentuated his command by jabbing the pike deep into thebeast's hide. As meekly as a lamb the elephant turned around, afterallowing the trainer to climb onto the top of his head, he waded towardthe shelf and climbed out of the water without the slightest sign ofrebellion.

  "There, consarn his pesky hide, he's out now," said the little manager toBruce, who was still laughing over the comical antics of the big beast.

  "Good," said the lad. Then, turning, he called to Babe, "Hi! how aboutthe blasting mat sling--is it finished?"

  "Yes, it's ready," shouted the fat Scout.

  "Well, then, we're all in good shape," said the patrol leader, inspectingthe outfit. "Now for business. Ho, Jiminy, flash Mr. Ford the signal."

  Instantly Gordon bounded out of the circle of light and climbed thenearest stone pile. Then with his battery he began to flash the Morsecode toward headquarters, where Mr. Ford was waiting. The circus managertook the whole performance in with wide eyes.

  "Say, hang it all, you Scouts know a thing or two, don't yuh?"

  "Yes, we know enough to be fairly helpful," said Bruce modestly. Then,as he saw Mr. Ford flash back his O.K., he said, "Now we'll let 'er go."

  He seized the reverse lever on the motor and threw it over. The derrickdrums squeaked a moment before settling down to a business-like grumble.Then the rusted steel cable, with the improvised blasting mat slingdangling at its end, was played out swiftly until the mass of woven ropesettled down on the ledge beside the circus men, who were hard at workputting chains about the elephant's feet and trunk so that he could notsquirm about in the sling. The adjusting of the heavy affair was no easytask, but the men worked with a will and a few moments later Bruce caughttheir signal that all was ready.

  For a moment he paused with his hand on the starting switch. He wasalmost afraid to throw it into position. "Oh, if the boom will onlyhold," he whispered to himself, for to have his plans fail now would havebeen more than he could endure.

  He moved the switch. There was a slight arc as contact was made. Thenslowly the motor began to turn. The boom stiffened and creaked ominouslyas the cable tightened. He pushed the switch over another notch. Thebig animal was lifted off its feet!

  Would the boom hold? Bruce and every member of the troop stood tense andsilent, as they saw the big body of the elephant dangling over the pit.He was lifted a foot, two feet, _five_ feet! He was snorting andsquirming in protest, and Bruce's heart almost stopped when he saw theboom give under his weight.

  "Oh, if he would only hold still!" muttered the boy. "He'll smash thetimber, sure."

  The patrol leader pushed the switch over still another notch and themotor began to hum and sputter. The beast was raised ten feet, fifteenfeet, eighteen, twenty. Now he was on the level with the top of thequarry!

  Slowly the boom began to work in, creaking and snapping under the strain.Splinters were raising here and there on the timber. Bruce knew it wasonly a matter of seconds now before the great stick would be
shattered.The elephant was but a few feet from safety. Canvas men were reachingout over the quarry's edge to seize the side of the sling. They grippedit! They pulled and tugged, and with a prodigious squeak the boom swungover. Then with a crash it buckled, dropping the elephant on the verybrink of the hole!

  Fortunately, the timber did not part entirely or some one would have beenkilled. The lacing of steel derrick cable held it in place, andeverything was safe.

  It took the Scouts and the circus men a brief instant to realize this,and when they did a cheer went up that must have waked the villagers inWoodbridge.

  The little circus manager was delighted. He rushed up and graspedBruce's hand.

  "Fine work, young feller! Fine work, I say! Now you Scouts all git homeand tumble into bed. My men will clean things up here in fine shape.It's half-past three. Sleep 'til ten o'clock and by that time a coupleof my best vans will be at that buildin' yuh call headquarters waitin' t'take yuh t' St. Cloud. Yer goin' t' be my guests at t' circus er I'llknow the reason why."

  "Gee, that's mighty good," said Bruce, excitedly. "How about it,fellows? We don't mind taking _that_ sort of pay for a good turn, dowe?"

  "You bet we don't," shouted the Scouts, enthusiastically. And a fewmoments later they fell in line and started off toward Woodbridge.