Читать книгу Roy Blakeley's Wild Goose Chase - Percy Keese Fitzhugh - Страница 6

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We didn’t get started for a few days because when we first get to camp, oh, boy, there are so many things to do, you have to do them five or six at a time. All the while we never said anything to that bunch up there because if you tell these things around Temple Camp, good night, when you come to start you have about forty-leven scouts that want to go. Nix on that, I told Warde Hollister, this is going to be a Roy Blakeley hike, limited, all rights preserved—and wrongs too. Because on our hikes the wrongs count for just as much as the rights.

“Only three and a half scouts,” Warde said; “you and Will and me, and the animal cracker.”

“Sure,” I told him, “it’s just going to be a crusade to do a kind act, absolutely, positively.” Anyway, I guess Pee-wee was kind of suspicious, because he went to Doc Carson and asked him if I really had a letter from a feller that was sick and couldn’t go out. He would trust one of the Ravens when he wouldn’t trust us. Doc told him, sure we were going to hike to do a good turn. And he told him not to mention it to anybody.

So then the kid came to us because good turns are his middle name; he reminds himself of a merry-go-round, he does so many good turns. He wore out three copies of the Handbook—he eats them alive.

He said, “If that hike is going to be a really truly hike to a destination and not a lot of crazy stuff going the wrong way on purpose and making idiotical rules to go by—if you cross your heart, then I’ll go with you. But if it’s going to be like your Happy-go-lucky Hike or your Funny-bone Hike, then I’m not going to be wasting my time with you.”

I said, “This is going to be a serious hike, you can ask Warde if it isn’t. All we’re going to do is to hike to see a poor feller that’s sick, and all we’re going to do is things to please him. Gee, how would you like to be stuck inside the house like that, and nobody to go round with? Here’s our chance, kid. You know what it says in the Handbook—a scout is a bother to every other scout——”

“You mean brother,” he shouted. “Now I don’t know whether you’re serious or not. Are you going to turn to the right just because it says so on motorist signs when it doesn’t mean people on foot at all—are you going to do things like that?”

“I wouldn’t think of such a thing,” I told him. “If I did it at all I’d do it without thinking. If you don’t want to go on a good turn hike, without any other kind of turns, you don’t need to. Only I thought you’d like to go with us on an errand that’s worth while, where there’s going to be refreshments.”

I guess he had a job making up his mind, but anyway he decided to go. So the next morning we started out good and early and got a hitch down to Catskill, the four of us. I knew where Claverack was, it was on the other side of the river about ten miles. It’s about the size of New York only smaller. If you get a good starter you can jump over it. Because I knew a feller that came from there. I don’t blame him. It’s right on the road and I bet some day an auto will run over it.

As soon as we got to Catskill the fun started—jiminies, I couldn’t help it. You know me, how serious and sober I am. There was the public school, and there was a sign on the road and it said:

DANGEROUS!

Children

Warde said, “I don’t see any dangerous children around. But you can never tell, this is a wild country. Maybe we better take a detour around through Pikeville—safety first.”

I didn’t say a word. But Will said, very innocent like, “These Catskill Mountain children are apt to be treacherous; a scout has to be on his guard. Suppose we take this road to the left around in back of the school, and that will bring us to Skunkville. There’s another sign, it says go carefully. Probably they’re hiding in the bushes.”

“Now you’re starting! Now you’re starting!” Pee-wee hollered at us. “Now you’re starting with your crazy nonsense! Even before you get across the ferry you start.”

So then we went on tip-toe past the school, all except Pee-wee. When we got down to the ferry the boat was full of Campfire Girls, gee there were about fifty of them.

“Oh look at the fiery camp girls,” I said. “Now we don’t need to be afraid, they’ll protect us.”

“Just in time,” Warde said.

So then we started running for the boat, and we forgot all about the ticket office and nobody stopped us. When the boat started a lady all dressed up like a girl scout came up to us and said, “You almost missed the boat, you boys. We’ve been waiting ages for you. When I saw you had scout suits on I made the man wait. Now I’m going to tell Margaret that you’re here. She’s been just worrying to death for fear you wouldn’t come.” Then all of a sudden she went away.

I said, “I wonder what’s the big idea.”

“This ferry boat looks like a transport,” Warde said. “I think these fiery camp girls are being sent to the front.”

“Maybe they heard about our hike,” I said. “Maybe they’re all going with us to do a kind act.”

Pee-wee just stared. He likes girls like I like homework. Oh boy, they were all dressed up like Pocohontas and Minnie Ha, Ha and Laughing Waters and Giggling Gingerale and a lot of those Indian girls.

Warde said, “What is this, a floating Indian reservation, or what? I’m afraid we’re going to get scalped.”

I said, “Get out your jack-knives and be ready for a massacre. Didn’t I tell you these Catskill Mountains are dangerous? You won’t catch me on a ferry boat again.”

So then the lady came back with a girl all dressed up in khaki and buckskin and feathers and everything, and beads around her neck. She said, “Here are the boys at last. They were late. Now isn’t that just like boys?”

The girl said, “Oh this is just too silly, they’re not my cousins at all. And my brother doesn’t look anything like any of them. They’re not any relation to me at all.”

“We knew it already, even before you told us,” Pee-wee shouted.

I said, “It may be true, but can you prove it? And besides, anyway, if you don’t mind we’d like to know what we’re up against. I never heard any girl say such a thing to me before—that I’m not her cousin.”

Warde said to her, “You don’t look anything like my grandmother either, if it comes to that.”

“Geee whiz, can we help it if we’re not relations to you?” Pee-wee shouted.

The lady started laughing and so did the girl; especially the girl kept laughing, you know how they do. She said, “Oh it’s just too silly for anything. Where do you think you’re going, you boys? And scouts too; I should think you’d have better sense. Didn’t you see the big sign on the gates? It said SPECIAL BOAT. This boat is chartered for the day and I’d like to know where you expect you’re going.”

“We were going across to Greendale,” I said. “And then we were going on a very important and serious hike to Crackerjack——”

“He means Claverack,” Pee-wee shouted.

“Well it doesn’t make a single particle of difference what he means,” the girl said, “because this boat is going ever and ever so far up the river to Marrowby’s Grove and it’s going to stay there all day. And my brother waited for my two cousins to bring them along, and I don’t know where in the world they can be.”

The lady said, “When I saw these boys had scout suits on I naturally thought——”

“Oh, it’s just too ridiculous!” the girl said. “Why they’re no relation to me at all, and all I can say is that I’m sorry for their very important and serious hike, because it will be ages before they get back.”

I said, “Do fiery camp girls and girl sprouts know anything about first aid?”

She said, “I should hope to tell you we do, Silly!”

“Well then please excuse me while I faint,” I said to her.

“You can drop dead for all I care,” Pee-wee shouted. “Now you see! Now you see! It’s just like all the rest of your hikes. Now we’re going to never get home.”

“Isn’t he cute!” another girl said.

I said, “Sure, and gentle too; he’ll eat right out of your hand.”