"How did you ever think of going up the track instead of trying to get across, Bert?" inquired Frank. "If you had tried to cross that would have been the last of us, because we could never have made it."

"I did it because it was the only thing to be done, I guess," replied Bert, in a shaky voice. "I'm no end of a fool to go at that speed on a road that I don't know, anyway. I don't know what I could have been thinking of to take such chances. Mr. Hollis will never have any confidence in me again, I guess."

"Nonsense!" retorted Bob, indignantly. "Why, if Mr. Hollis could have seen the presence of mind you showed, I think he would trust you all the more, if that is possible. Not one person in a hundred would have thought of doing what you did."

"Yes, but that's not all of it, by any means," said Bert, in a mournful voice. "I'll bet that we've broken something on the old car, as well as almost getting ourselves converted into sausage meat. Here goes to look things over, anyway."

A thorough inspection failed to reveal any break in the mechanism or frame, however, and even the tires were intact. Finally Bert straightened up with a relieved expression on his face, and said: "Well, I can't seem to find anything at present, that's one comfort. However, I wouldn't have believed that any car could stand such punishment and hold together. We won't kick against fate, though, for not smashing our car for us, will we?"

"I guess not," agreed Shorty, heartily, "I think we ought to thank our lucky stars that any of us are left to talk about it, even. It's more than we had a right to expect fifteen minutes ago."

"I guess you're right, Shorty, at that," agreed Bert, "but now, we'd better make a quick sneak back to camp. Mr. Hollis will have given us up for lost."

Accordingly the boys all climbed into the car, and they were soon humming along on their homeward journey. You may be sure that Bert slowed down almost to a walking pace at every turn they came to, however, and once, just for fun, he said, "Say, Shorty, I don't like the looks of that curve ahead of us. Perhaps you had better get out and go on ahead to make sure that the coast is clear. I intend to be on the safe side this time."

Shorty immediately entered into the spirit of the joke, and vaulted out over the side of the tonneau while the auto was yet in motion, and disappeared around the curve. As the auto crept around the bend its occupants could see Shorty waving his handkerchief and signaling for them to come on. Bert laughingly complied, and, as they pa.s.sed Shorty, stopped a moment to give him a chance to climb aboard. Shorty was soon in his place, and Frank laughed.

"Gee, Bert, that's being careful for fair. If Mr. Hollis could have seen that I think it would have made up for our going too fast and almost getting smashed up. What do _you_ say, fellows?"

There was a unanimous chorus of a.s.sent to this proposition, but Bert did not join in the laughter. He felt in his heart that he had been careless, and he knew that even his subsequent presence of mind in getting them out of a tight sc.r.a.pe did not wholly atone. His mind was filled with these thoughts, when Bob said, "Say, fellows, I don't see why we have to say anything to Mr. Hollis about our near accident, at all. It will just make him angry at us, and maybe he will not want to let us use the car again. Besides, now that it's all over, it won't do him any good to know what a narrow escape we've had."

"No, no, Bob, that would never do in the wide world," replied Bert, quickly, and in a reproving voice. "The last thing we ought to think of is to deceive Mr. Hollis, and you know it. I'm surprised that you should even have mentioned such a thing."

"Well, there's no harm done, is there?" replied Bob, but in a rather shame-faced manner. "We won't do it if you don't think we ought to, so there's no use getting mad about it. I just offered that as a suggestion, that's all."

"Well," replied Bert, "the chief blame for this thing lies on me, anyway, and as soon as we get back to camp I intend to make a clean breast of the whole matter to Mr. Hollis, and he can do as he thinks best."

"Oh, all right, have it your own way," growled Bob, sullenly, and they relapsed into silence. By this time it was almost dark, and Bert was forced to drive very slowly, as he had never been over that particular road before. He had a well-developed sense of location, however, and was pretty sure that he was going in the right direction.

As it proved he was not deceived in this, and they shortly struck a road with which they were all familiar. Bert ventured to accelerate their pace somewhat, and it was not long before they came in sight of the cheery camp fire, around which Mr. Hollis and the boys who had not gone on the automobile trip were seated. As they heard the sound of the machine the group around the fire leaped to their feet, and Mr. Hollis walked slowly toward them. When the auto swung into the circle of fire light and came to an abrupt halt, he said:

"What has been detaining you, boys? It seems to me that you are not treating me quite right by going off in this manner and returning at such an hour as this. Why, you should have been back two hours ago."

A chorus of excited exclamations rose from the boys, but Mr. Hollis raised his hand for silence. When this had been restored, he said, "One at a time, boys, one at a time. Here, Bert, let's hear your explanation."

This Bert proceeded to give in a very straightforward manner, and did not attempt to gloss over any of the details of his recklessness, as he was pleased to call it.

Mr. Hollis listened with a serious face, and when Bert had finished, said, "Well, Bert, you were certainly to blame for taking chances in the manner that you did, but, on the other hand, you deserve credit for the presence of mind and courage you showed in extricating your companions and yourself from what might very easily have been a fatal accident.

Still, you were right to tell me all about it, and I think that to-day's experiences may have the effect of making you more careful in the future."

"You may be sure, sir, that I will never be so careless again," promised Bert, and by the tone of his voice, Mr. Hollis knew that he meant it.

It was a hungry lot that sat down to supper that evening, and little was spoken of except their thrilling experiences of the day. After supper, however, they began to feel the effects of the exciting day, and all expressed themselves "tuckered out." As Frank said, "He felt too tired to take the trouble of going to sleep."

They all managed to overcome this very important objection, however, and soon there was no sound to be heard in the camp except the rustling of the embers in the camp fire as they slowly burnt themselves out and settled into ashes.

CHAPTER XV

MOUNTAIN SCOUTING

Sunshine! glorious, golden sunshine! Was ever sunshine more bright? Was ever sky more blue? Was ever day more beautiful? So questioned our campers as, fresh and glowing from a cold plunge in the lake, a hearty breakfast despatched, bedding aired and cots freshly made up, camp cleared up and morning duties all attended to in tip-top fashion, they mustered about Mr. Hollis to receive the day's commissions.

It mattered little what might be the commission allotted to each squad.

Anything, everything that might come to them in the way of camp duty, could not but be a pleasure on such a glorious day as this. With young bodies aglow with health, young minds, awake and alert for all new impressions, young hearts filled with desire to live right, to do right, to be kind and helpful to all with whom they came in contact, how could they help being happy?

The camp was full of merriment, but perhaps the happiest squad of all was the auto squad. In fact this was always the case, but today the autoists had a special expedition. They were to play the mountain scouting game, and as the nearest mountains were at a distance from camp the squad had been detailed for the automobile.

Gaily the fellows piled in and away they flew. As the roads which they must travel today were rough, their progress was much less rapid than usual; but, despite this they reached their destination in about half an hour.

"Hurrah for the 'Red Scout,'" cried Bob, as they tumbled out of the car.

"If she can travel like that over these roads, what'll she do on the race track? Oh, say, fellows, the 'Gray Ghost' won't be in it. She'll fade away like a real ghost."

"Don't I wish the day of the race was here," said Tom. "Seems as if it would never come, doesn't it, fellows?" and "It sure does," they all chorused.

The "mountains" were really very high, rocky hills, but, as they were known to embrace many very steep and dangerous ravines, some of them nearly as perilous as mountain precipices, many and earnest had been the warnings given by Mr. Hollis as the boys had started on their expedition, and each boy carried in the pockets of his jacket some part of the equipment for first aid to the injured that was a part of the camp outfit. Thus safe-guarded, they felt no fear.

As soon as they had arrived the three "hares," who had been coached in the game, went to hide themselves in the mountain, and, after sufficient time had been given them for this purpose, the "hounds" followed them; while Bert and Dave Ferris remained in the auto to watch for any signal that might be given them from the mountain.

The game of mountain-scouting consists in the "hounds," who must stay within certain limits of ground, finding or "spotting" the "hares"

within a given time. If they find or spot them even with field gla.s.ses, it counts, provided that the finder can tell who it is he has spotted.

The hounds write down the names of any of the hares that they may see.

If at the end of the allotted time no hare has been spotted, the hares win.

To-day two hours had been the given time and the boys in the mountains were to signal to Bert the news as each hare was found.

Time was nearly up. Three hares had been found. The chase had been a merry one and now hares and hounds together, no longer pursuers and pursued, but just happy-hearted campers were hiking down to the two in the automobile.

The return signal had been given, and Bert and Dave, relieved of the slight anxiety they had felt while the game was going on, expected each moment to see the boys come into view.

Suddenly Dave sprang to his feet. "Look, Bert," said he, "another signal."

Breathlessly the boys read the signal wig-wagged to them from a point high up on the side of the hill. "Come quick! Fred hurt. Bring splints and kit and ropes."

It took only a very short time for the boys to reach the scene of the accident, and one glance took in the situation. Turning a corner the boys had come, all unknowing, upon a spot where the rocks shelved suddenly down into a deep ravine. The edge of the descent was hidden by a fringe of breast-high bushes, and Fred Morse, all unconscious of his danger, had stepped upon a piece of rock which gave under his foot, and, before the boys could even put out a hand to save him, had slipped through the bushes, and the horrified boys had heard their comrade go crashing through the bushes on the side of the ravine. His frightened cry, "Help, fellows, I'm falling!" still echoed in their ears. While two of the boys were signalling, the others had called to Fred but no reply had come back to them. When Bert reached them, Bob was running along the edge of the cliff, in great danger of going over himself, in a vain effort to find a place to climb down.

Now, not waiting for the call for volunteers, he ran to Bert and begging him to hurry and help him, began fastening the ropes about himself. In a twinkling, the rope was adjusted, the knots securely tied, and the rope firmly held by four boys, Bob was lowered slowly and carefully over the side of the cliff.

Down, down he went till, just as the boys began to fear that the rope would not be long enough, it lay slack in their hands, and they knew that Fred was found. Presently came the signal, three distinct pulls on the rope, and soon poor Fred was lifted tenderly over the edge and laid gently down. A few minutes more and good old Bob was back with them.

Now, all attention was turned to Fred. After a careful examination from head to toe, Bert relieved the anxious fears of his comrades by the announcement that he was sure that Fred's life was not in danger. A faint cheer went up, which faded when Bert said Fred's leg was broken.

Consternation filled their hearts, for the nearest doctor was miles away, and though Bert felt sure there was no more serious injury than the broken limb, it was hard to tell what internal injury might have been sustained, and a long ride in the motor with the leg in the present condition might prove a serious matter. There was no doubt about it, the leg must be set at once.

Not one of the boys had anything but the simplest knowledge of first-aid-to-the-injured, but, though at first hearts feared and hands trembled, they conquered fear and each boy went steadily to work to do his part. Whether it was to hand the cotton batting or to pull with full strength upon the poor broken limb, or hold the splints while Bert wound yards of bandage around them, not a boy flinched, and at last the work was done, and well done.