The Girl Scout Pioneers | Page 8

of it!"
"No, I don't want to see anything. Run, I tell you!"
"Wait! Maybe I could make this my bravery act. Suppose I tie him with
my strong rope?"
"Grace Philow! Are you crazy?" and the more frightened girl attempted
to drag the other away. "Please--don't speak loud. If he wakes I shall
die."
"No, don't you dare! Just keep still. I am going to see if I can tie up one
town tramp. There are plenty loose, and this is my golden opportunity!"
CHAPTER III
A NOBLE DEED UNDONE
Now Grace! If you attempt to go near that dreadful man I shall scream
and wake him up," threatened Madaline, in real alarm.
"No, you won't either. You would be afraid to. Hush, keep still. I want
to see if I can lasso his old bag. Wouldn't it be fine if I could rescue
Mrs. Johnston's washing? You know it was stolen off her line two

nights ago." With this the daring girl stole up more closely to the
sleeping figure.
The quiet lull of the flowing river, as it fell over a little cascade, was
acting as a potential lullaby to the wayfarer at the foot of the tree. His
figure was grotesque, but at the distance the girls were viewing him
from it was not possible to discern more than a figure--it might be that
of almost any sort of a man, for all they could tell.
Grace untied her nice clean coil of rope, while Madaline besought her
in every kind of cabalistic sign she could summon to her aid, to desist
in her reckless intention of tieing the man to the tree. But the
temptation was evidently too much for the frolicsome Grace, for as
Madaline cast a wild eye over her shoulder in her flight from the spot,
she could just see Grace, tip-toeing up to that figure.
A few seconds later came a stifled cry!
"Wait, oh, Madie, wait!" called Grace, and, stopping in the briar path,
Madaline glimpsed the imperturbable Grace, making her way through
the thicket and dragging something heavy behind her!
"Mercy me!"' exclaimed Madaline. "What can she be tugging along!"
"Wait, help me!" now called Grace in a bolder voice.
"No, I will not! Grace Philow, are you crazy?" gasped Madaline.
"Crazy, not at all," sang out Grace in a laughing voice. "I've got it!"
"Got what?" Madaline cried anxiously.
"Mrs. Johnston's wash!"
"Oh, Grace, you will get us both arrested."
"For recovering stolen property! You have a fine sense of scout laws,"
Grace retorted. "If you don't help me get out of the briars I shall report
you to the captain--if we ever find her," and another laugh grated on the

frightened ears of Madaline.
"I can't help you, Grace," Madaline replied in a more conciliatory tone.
"The briars are so thick here, they almost tore off my shoe-- it is not
laced tight, you know."
"Well, they are tearing up Mrs. Johnston's wash," admitted Grace, still
tagging at the trailing bag, that could not be seen in the thicket and
brambles she dragged it over.
"Oh, Grace! There he comes!" screamed Madaline, as a moving figure
could be outlined in the shadows of the low brush, and tall swamp
berry trees, that just towered high enough to hide the form that bent and
broke the impeding young birches. It was the swish and motion of the
brush that indicated his advance and location.
"Mercy!" yelled Grace, alarmed now in spite of her boasted courage.
"Let's run. But I won't drop this wash. I don't care if he follows me into
the post-office for it," and at that, she gave the rope one more terrific
jerk, the force of which brought the trailing obstacle out into the path
where it had a clear track to follow the girl, who held madly to the
other end of the rope.
No words were wasted as the girls scampered and scurried through that
wood. Grace held firmly to the rope, and could feel that it still dragged
her quarry, while Madaline never turned her head to see whether or not
the pursuing man was at their heels. That they had not been struck
down was enough, to be thankful for, thought Madaline.
And in all of this, no trace of the other members of the hiking party was
discovered. More than once the girls heard something they decided
ought to be their "Coo-ee" call, but each time it turned out to be nothing
more friendly than the astonished birds, either laughing at the scouts, or
rooting for their successful escape from the pursuer.
Beaching the big rock that covered the path, and always had to be
climbed over "by hand," the girls scrambled up, then down, and when
Grace gave a necessarily vigorous