Great Hike; or, The Pride of the Khaki Troop

instantly that, according to the rules of the game, if one of the contestants accepted a chance to ride, or even was induced agains

to the Beaver Patrol, and pinned his faith on either Matty Eggleston or R

ect from Fairfield!" cri

you hear Toby and Nat say that this contemptible game didn't crop up in the ranks of the scouts of Fairfield, but some rank outsiders, who think they are doing their mates a good turn, when

o want to air his or her views; and the girls were just

l take the boys inside the church to talk with them," call

ill, eve

a chance

n it; he know

or them four Fairfield bullies. They're going to

o listen, eager to understand just what plan the young assistant scout master would engineer in the a

uld, by the time night came on, start operations. Whether the victim was Lil Artha, or any one of the others, he could not successfully hold his own against four stout fellows. A

at in all probability he could readily head off the game, un

just one against four; and in such a case he might suffer the s

em were in a humor to accept at the drop of the hat. Filled with indignation at the mean nature of the trick which those Fairfield fellows had up their slee

eem as if they understood just what the question implied, for a loo

ried Toby,

miles, and I haven't gone more than thirteen!" decl

n again, and it was difficult to carry on any sort of a conversation with com

lmer!" exclaimed Toby, mak

gh, if we only ketch 'em," cried Nat, rather forgetting that as a scout fighting was onl

le sort of exhortation was shouted. The news had circulated like wild-fire, and everyone knew

'em,

eld crowd, we'r

ck the skunks into the

scals the best licking they ever had! It's been a l

the day they signed the roster of the scouts. But even Elmer himself was thrilled with indignation; it seemed so

im; and, moreover, Elmer knew considerable about manag

into the saddle with the grace of one who had long since mastered th

n you!" called one of the

ove on you,

a poke in the slats,

Toby! Good

dare slip by? Hit her up,

! We're

ttle trouble in making the start, since his engine must have cooled down more or less; but after a little fussing h

drivers have of telling that they mean to either turn aside or else sto

eavy machines up against a rail fence, he came to a ha

d Toby, as he, too, reach

Nat, when he, too, came booming along, to make a sudde

before we start off we want to make sure

uld have been kidding; because you see none of 'em

what we aim to do, we may make a bad mess of it. Now, did you learn anything that wo

uld have to depend altogether on how far the race had gone. It m

vantage studying my map. I've got an idea that by taking the Glenville short-cut road we can save five miles easy. Pe

a for us to go right along to the first station, and see

ttle!" declared Toby, his face aglow with eage

glimpsed this map again," observed the one addressed, as he sa

ry road, with the distances properly marked, all the way to Little Falls. Besides, they had the various taverns, wher

o places they could, if they wanted, leave the main road and take

ed at the motorcycles of his comrades, "it might be a c

lmer?" asked T

oads may be in after that heavy rain night b

s are only dirt ones, and not macadamized a single bit. Perhaps we wouldn't have a warm old time jolting along

twice as far as your rattlebox would carry you, To

d in waiting to make repairs, in poking fun at each other's motorcycle; so that th

he prepared for a flying start, that woul

the engine started to throb, jumped into the saddle, much to the envy of

believed he would need the assistance these two stout scouts were capable of affording; and but for that must have b

w more about machinery than either of the others, even though they had owned motorcycles for years, these troubles were adjusted in an unusual

f stations. He also remembered that one of the scouts had been detailed to remain at this place,

o bring his machine to a full stop. "Perhaps the news from up the road may be worth listeni