The Boy Scouts Patrol | Page 4

suppose I ever shall. But, speaking
of curious things, what do you suppose Monkey Rae was doing with
that horse and wagon?"
"Driving them," drawled Pepper. "What do you think he was doing
with them, using them for an aeroplane?"
"No," returned Rand, "I thought maybe he was using them to dredge for
clams. But, speaking of clams, which would you sooner do or go
a-fishing?"
"Go a-fishing!" cried Donald and Pepper, starting off on a run down the
hill to the boat-house.
"Well," began Pepper as soon as they were fairly inside the house,
"didn't I hear somebody say breakfast?" at the same time starting to get
out of the locker the various utensils that the boys kept at the house to
cook with on their fishing trips.
"Hold on there, Pepper," remonstrated Donald, as Pepper continued to
pull out one pan after another. "We don't need ail that stuff. What do
you think you are going to do, get up a banquet? If you are going to use
ail those pots and pans, son, you will have to wash them by your
lonesome."
"Huh!" replied Pepper, "there wouldn't be any novelty about that. The
dish-washing seems to gravitate my way anyhow."
"That's because you use so many more of them than the rest of us,"
explained Donald.
"Why, I don't use any more of them than you do," expostulated Pepper.
"Well, maybe you don't use any more," admitted Don with a judicial air,
"but you use them more."

Pepper was about to retort in kind when there was a quick step outside
the door and an alert-looking, brown-haired, brown-eyed boy, with his
cap perched upon the back of his head, dashed into the room.
"Hello, fellows!" he cried, "I thought I wasn't going to get here in time,
but I see I struck it at the psychological moment. I am as hungry as a
bull pup."
"Hello, Jack!" responded Rand, "we began to think you weren't coming.
What's the latest in Creston?"
"Oh, there is something worth while to-day," replied Jack, drawing a
box up to the plank that served as a table. "Pass me some of those
biscuits, Pepper, if you don't mind sparing a few, so I can eat while I
talk."
"Better not try it, Jack," cautioned Rand, "for if you eat as fast as you
talk or talk as fast as you eat you will either starve yourself or choke."
"All right," laughed Jack, "if that is the case I'll eat first and talk
afterwards," and this he would do, notwithstanding the pleadings of the
others, anxious to share in any exciting news.

CHAPTER III
TWO AND TWO
While the boys are finishing their breakfast it may be well to introduce
them to the reader. The four, who were known among their
acquaintances as the "inseparables," had been classmates for several
terms at School No. I, of Creston, from which they had graduated the
previous year and were now students of the Hilltop Academy, where
they were preparing for college.
Rand--Randolph in full, surname Peyton--who was slightly the eldest
of the four, was the nephew of Mr. Scott, president of the Creston
National Bank. He was a native of Virginia, having come to Creston

after the death of his father some two years before this time, with his
mother and sister. He was bright, but inclined to be indolent, except
when aroused, when his energy knew no limit. He was slow in speech,
having the soft Southern drawl with a tendency to slur his r's, and was a
natural leader among his companions, both in their sports and their
studies.
Donald Graeme, sometimes nicknamed Old Solomon, was the son of
the chief engineer of the Creston Paper Mills, and one of a considerable
family of boys and girls. He was of Scotch descent and inherited many
of the characteristics of his ancestry as well as many of their
superstitions. Something of the burr clung to his tongue, and he was
given to the occasional use of a Scotch word or phrase. He had also the
Scotch canniness and never committed himself by a positive opinion.
Although not as quick as Rand, he was more persistent and usually
carried out, to the end, anything that he entered upon.
Jack Blake was the oldest son of Mr. Blake, editor and publisher of the
Crest, the newspaper of the town. Brought up in the newspaper
atmosphere, Jack had early developed a nose for news and was the best
reporter, although unofficial, on the paper. He was always on the
lookout for items and always putting two and two together, sometimes
with most surprising results.
Lastly, Pepper Blake, Jack's younger brother, who was of a quicker,
more nervous, disposition than the others and given to stammering
when excited. Impetuous