The Boy Scouts First Camp Fire | Page 9

rest of the scouts, who had been born
in Cranford, and brought up there.
"Why, you see for a long time all this country up here was owned by a
rich man, who meant to make a game preserve out of it. He even had a

high wire fence built around part of the tract, including the lake, and
kept game keepers here, so nobody could get in to steal a single fish.
But he died before he ever had a chance to finish the job; and his
widow sold the ground to a lumber concern, that never cared a thing for
game. Chances are there'll be some high old hunting around up here
this Fall; and I'm going to get in on it if I can."
It was Davy Jones who gave this information. He had a father who was
said to be a very smart lawyer; and Davy bade fair to follow in his
footsteps. At least, the boy was never asleep when anything was going
on; and he could easily subscribe to that scout injunction which
requires that a boy keep his eyes and ears open, in order to learn things
the ordinary person would never see nor hear.
Once more they took up the march, Bumpus being a little refreshed
from the halt. A couple of the other fellows kept near him from now on,
and even linked arms with the fat boy, who was universally well liked
on account of his disposition being sunny, no matter whether in fair
weather or in storm.
Along about four in the afternoon a shout arose.
"I see water ahead!" yelled Giraffe, who had managed to get in ahead
of the others.
"Well, with that neck you ought to be able to see anything," called out
Bumpus, from further back in the line.
"I guess I could see whether a bee went into a hole in a stump, or just
swung past," retorted the other. "But there's your lake, fellows; and
we're right close up on the same, now. Just look through that opening in
the trees; see the sun shining on the little waves. Say, don't it look fine,
though? Talking about fires--but that'll keep," as he saw the patrol
leader turn his eyes quickly upon him.
Every one felt like quickening his pace, even the weary Bumpus.
Step-hen seemed especially solicitous about the welfare of his stout
comrade, for he kept hovering near him, offering to lend his arm, or do

any other kindly act. Bumpus eyed him a little suspiciously, as though
he had an idea the other might have some dark motive in being so extra
kind.
"See here, Step-hen," he declared once, when the other slipped an arm
through his and helped him on his way; "I reckon you're thinking that if
you're good to me I'll own up to taking that beastly little compass of
yours, eh? Well, just get that notion out of your head, won't you?
Because I ain't goin' to confess to something I never did. And don't you
say compass to me again, hear?"
"Oh! never mind," said Step-hen, very sweetly, for him, and with a
curious smile that made the fat boy uneasy; "of course if you say you
didn't keep it, there must be some mistake; only it seems mighty funny
how my things are always disappearing, and the rest of you get off scot
free. But don't bother about it, Bumpus; sure the thing is bound to turn
up somewhere. Only I hope I find it before I go and get lost in the
forest. I always was afraid of that, you know. I'll try and forget all
about compasses. Here, lean on me a little harder if you want to. I ain't
tired a whit, and can stand it."
But Bumpus was able to walk alone. Truth to tell he fancied Step-hen
was trying to frisk him all over, as if endeavoring to locate the position
of some object that might feel like the missing compass.
"There's the stuff the farmer brought, fellows!" said Thad, presently.
It had been dumped alongside the road at a certain place marked by the
two who had come up here on a spying trip beforehand. Each boy took
what he could carry, and in this way the entire equipment was carried
down to a camp site on the shore of the splendid body of water known
as Lake Omega.
"That word Omega means the end, don't it?" said Davy Jones, as they
started to put up one of the two tents, and gather the provisions,
blankets, cooking utensils and such things together.
"I hope it won't be the end of any of us," chuckled Giraffe, who had

been casting furtive looks around, as if searching for an ideal spot on
which he