Boy Scouts: Tenderfoot Squad

a for a good afternoon's work, when Elmer happened to remember something. He was himself gettin

ked, casually, "I've heard you

was doing, and licked his lips at t

m! yum! makes my mouth water when I think of all the good times I used to have when we kept bees. But father had the misfortune to upset a hive, and got so badly stung that he bundled the lot off a

chance while we're up here to lay in a store of lus

some of us can take a run back to his place t

flowers, and I think I can track them to their woods hive. Once we find where they hol

leased. "It certainly takes you to think up fine things. And when you start to follow the ho

to learn a practical lesson on how easy it is for an experienced woodsman to find his bread and butter and sw

Elmer?" George continued, as he saw t

; and there's really nothing for me to do around camp

onderful child fiddler a

with his work. He certainly is in love with it; and his father will be unwise if he doesn't encourage the boy in every way possible. I te

, so to speak. And when I get to the point of choosing what I want to b

ve a pretty hard task of it bending him to their will. However, he did not say this, not wish

their trail, won't you, Elmer?" th

o try any other way,

riest greenhorn at trailing, for they had none of them made the least attempt to hide their footprints. So

fspring lay hidden, and with halting steps act as though badly injured. Elmer l

desire to save their young. She coaxes me to rush after her, so as to wean me away from her brood. If I started she'd go off a little farther, and then stop once more

over that way parted the tall grass. Instantly there was a hurried scurrying, as a number

ur pretty bodies. But I tell you the thousand-and-one lessons that a fellow can learn from Nature's big book ought to be enough to

which she would have to call together in some fashion of her own. So Elmer walked on, observing many other interest

there might be an exchange of signals between Rufus and his stakeman, who went on ahead to assist him. Lil Artha probably prow

eved be caught the voice of Lil Artha saying, "St

n. He was already plunging forward as fast as he could go when this sound came to his

his gun half raised to his shoulder, as if doubtful whether the newcomer would prove to be a friend or an enemy; and wit

he same. Something twisted and squirmed upon the ground, and as Elmer looked, his horrified gaze made out an enormous rattlesnake that seemed to have pa

ent Elmer was

k you, Rufus?" he ejaculated,

u my word. But if Rufus hadn't had the good sense to stand still when I called out, I reall

o scared that I seemed frozen stiff. Why, I couldn't have moved hand or foot for all th

z rattle at the end of its tail. After all, I guess it was lucky that I did conclude to fetch my gun along this afternoon. The boys were laughing at me in the morn

commented Elmer, after stepping closer to

; but then I own up I was some rattled for fear Rufus would move, and make the snake shoot forward

issed the fearsome de-il?

irst thing I knew was hearing what I took to be the whirr of a locust. Then I looked down and saw it! After that I seemed to turn to ice. I heard Lil Artha coming, and afterwards he s

oods is doubly armed. We must drag it back with us, and show George. He said he didn't believe

ck, would I have had to die? Is there any re

r abrasion about my mouth so that I couldn't be infected by the poison that I ejected. Then Elmer here, who is a pretty good surgeon when it comes right down to brass tacks, would have cut into the wound, and aft

of snake bites?" asked Rufus, determined

come panic-stricken, and only think of hurrying the poor chap to the nearest doctor as fast as they can. That's nearly always the worst thing they coul

rder to save human life by prompt measures, whether it is in case of near-drowning, snake bite, injury by cutting an artery with an ax, swallowing som

ll begin right away. I never want to be taken unawares again, so that I feel as helpless as a kitten. I'm going to be

Artha told him; "and I promise to instruct you at t

ye begin the lessons. Aye! it would hae been peetiful if Rufus had been struc

on the Scotch boy'

t name in speaking to his comrade, though always with affection. "But aft

legged scout had already shown the two tenderfeet the cruel looking curved fangs in the partly shattered head, as well as the sickly, green-hued poison that could be pressed from the

scorpions. Lil Artha seemed to be a "walking encyclopedia" of knowledge along these lines; part of this he had picked up through personal experience, and the rest c

ey approach

his numerous odd jobs and was resting, seeme

his seat on the soft moss under a tree. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, they say.

foot reptile, which still showed signs of life; and Lil Artha had assured Alec its

u fellows?" George went on to add

ge had to measure the reptile with his tape line,

wn in Florida, I understand, those diamond-back fellows; but as I haven't been there

never sleep easy nichts if he had it hangin' on the wall of his room at home, thinking about his narrow escape. But

keeper out of the tail of his eye, as though trying to guess what was in the wind. He felt certain that Ge

noticed the same thing. This, however, was after he had seen Elmer observing

e a thing when there was a short cut to the answer. He believed that

you, George?" he suddenly

d, and then h

you ask that

you're aching to spring it on us. What have you been doing since we left camp? N

escape, apparently, determined