The Boy Scouts of the Geological Survey | Page 5

of visiting the traps.
He did not know which day the professor might choose for coming in
quest of the golden eagles, and he was determined that no one should
get ahead of him.
"After all, he can't come hunting up here on our land without my
permission, for that would be trespassing," reflected Ralph. "And if he
should turn up, I can tell him that I'm on the job, myself."
Two busy days passed. While attending to his traps, in the early hours,
Ralph never once allowed his rifle to lie beyond his reach; yet a third
day went by, and he had no chance for a shot at the coveted birds of
prey. Several times he caught sight of them hovering above the gray
cliffs where he knew they were preparing to build a nest, but each time
they were too far away to risk a shot.
And still no sign of the professor, or of anyone else in pursuit of the
eagles. Had the professor gone away from Oakvale, or, on a hint from
Doctor Kane, was he merely waiting and giving Ralph every chance to
earn the money? If the latter were the case, it was quite unlikely that
Professor Whalen would share the secret of his discovery with any
other possible hunter.
* * * * * * *
Several miles away from the Kenyon farm, on the shore of Pioneer
Lake, which was separated from the farm by the rugged slopes of old
Stormberg and the adjacent hills, was a fair-sized camp which bore the
same name as the lake. It was occupied every summer by a troop of
Boy Scouts under the leadership of an ex-officer of the United States

Army. In fact, Pioneer Camp was well known in that section of the
country, and Ralph had often heard of it from Tom Walsh and Tom's
young cousin, Jack Durham, who had joined the troop. At one time,
before his father's death, Ralph had longed to become a member of the
troop; but one duty or another had prevented him in the summer, and
now it seemed out of the question. Daily work, the necessity of earning
a living for his mother and himself, and the management of his farm,
demanded all his attention, and gave him no time for play.
On the fourth day of Ralph's new hunt, he was obliged to drive over to
Oakvale to bring home groceries and provisions as well as seeds which
he had ordered. In the town market he saw Doctor Kane talking to a tall,
bronzed, soldierly-looking man who wore a khaki uniform with the
Scout Masters' badge embroidered on the coat-sleeve. Accompanying
this man was a half-breed Indian, known in that vicinity as Joe
Crow-wing, or "Injun Joe," the guide and chief woodsman of Pioneer
Camp. The half-breed hung about in the background, conversing with
two lads also dressed in scout uniform.
Catching sight of Ralph, the doctor beckoned to him.
"Come here, my boy," he said, in his cordial way, as the young fellow
approached, "I want you to meet Scout Master Denmead, who's up here
arranging for the opening of camp next month. Denmead, this is Ralph
Kenyon, a very particular friend of mine."
"Glad to know you, Kenyon," said the Scout Master, grasping Ralph's
hand. After talking with him for a few minutes, he called the two other
boys over from the counter on which they were sitting and introduced
them to Ralph as Tom Sherwood and Arthur Cameron.
"Aren't you fellows up here earlier than usual?" asked Ralph, presently,
finding his habitual reserve wearing away.
"Yes, we are," replied Tom Sherwood. "You see, we graduated from
Hilltop last February, and when we found out that the Chief was
coming up here, we asked him to take us in tow for a while before
camp regularly opened."

"He's going to give us a course in geology," added Arthur Cameron,
"and we're going to make a survey around here this summer."
"Geology!" repeated Ralph. "That's my pet subject. Some day, you
know, I'm going to study mining engineering."
"That so? Well, come along with us for a 'prelim,'" suggested Arthur, in
the true scout spirit of friendliness.
Ralph sighed and shook his head.
"Wish I could!" he admitted. "Haven't time to spare, though."
"Studying?" queried Tom.
"No, working" And Ralph stated briefly and frankly the nature of his
work.
"Like it?" again inquired Tom, who was always interested in people
and their occupations.
"I don't mind the work itself," said Ralph, "it's not half bad, you know.
But selling vegetables in the village market, and haggling with stingy
buyers over the price of cabbages and green peas, is what gets my
goat!" He laughed ruefully. "I guess I'll have to be jogging on my