[Illustration: "WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT?"]
A SCOUT OF TO-DAY
BY
ISABEL HORNIBROOK
_Author of "Camp and Trail," "Lost in Maine Woods," "Captain Curly's Boy," etc., etc._
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
[Illustration]
BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY The Riverside Press Cambridge 1913
COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY ISABEL HORNIBROOK ALL RIGHTS RESERVED _Published June 1913_
AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED TO "NED"
The Author expresses her indebtedness to Edmund Richard Cummins for the song, "THE SCOUTS OF THE U.S.A."
CONTENTS
I. THE GREAT WOODS 1
II. ONLY A CHIP' 17
III. RACCOON JUNIOR 34
IV. VARNEY'S PAINTPOT 55
V. "YOU MUST LOOK OUT!" 70
VI. THE FRICTION FIRE 82
VII. MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL COUNCIL 104
VIII. THE BOWLINE KNOT 121
IX. GODEY PECK 145
X. THE BALDFACED HOUSE 159
XI. ESTU PRETA! 178
XII. THE CHRISTMAS BRIGADE 196
XIII. THE BIG MINUTE 207
XIV. A RIVER DUEL 215
XV. THE CAMP ON THE DUNES 230
XVI. THE PUP-SEAL'S CREEK 244
XVII. THE SIGNALMAN 262
XVIII. THE LOG SHANTY AGAIN 271
ILLUSTRATIONS
"WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT?" (page 99) _Colored Frontispiece_
"HELP! _HELP!_" 56
"MAK' YOU S-SILENT! W'AT FOR YOU SPIK LAK DAT?" 150
IN CAMP 238
"CAN'T YOU SEE THE TIDE IS LEAVING YOU?" 252
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Scout of To-day by Isabel Hornibrook
- 2: As wild from delight as any young water bird
- 3: The sunlight's energy raced through him
- 4: We were just starting off to hunt you up Nix and I
- 5: What sort of queer Paintpot is that
- 6: Its legs golden spindles in the sunshine
- 7: Colin says that you know the way to Varney's Paintpot
- 8: Nixon stooped over the tall bristly flower heads
- 9: Rolling among the trees Rond
- 10: And the woodchopper began to execute an excited war dance
- 11: In gran' foret in dem big ole hood
- 12: The terrier finding himself baffled
- 13: I'm going to do it to that chipmunk
- 14: Leon was now a red eyed savage
- 15: And everybody knows that sawdust smothers smouldering fire
- 16: See that tobacco ash and the stains on the white oilcloth
- 17: Hurrah for the life that's free
- 18: In this wilderness of endless trees and underbrush
- 19: Leaving the wavy undergrowth behind
- 20: If it isn't a coon another young coon I'm a Dutchman
- 21: The half immersed boy was indeed plunk into it
- 22: The hideous slimy life of the spongy bog
- 23: I would have been but for Leon
- 24: He must be a regular sea scout
- 25: He was averse to resigning such leadership to his terrier
- 26: They forbore from delaying to smear their bodies
- 27: While he stared at the rude cairn
- 28: There's just one law for the scout
- 29: Coombsie and Colin rushed to him
- 30: It feels just like a thunderstorm
- 31: Stumbling through the undergrowth
- 32: He had forgotten that it was smeared
- 33: Watching the shaping of the notched fireboard
- 34: Turning the pointed drill that bored into the fireboard
- 35: Bearing the ruddy fire embryo and tinder
- 36: Hurrah for the life that's free
- 37: As it happened two ruddy screech owls
- 38: Hear him 'way off 'Whoo whoo hoo doo whoo
- 39: It was answered by the Whoo whoo whooah whoo
- 40: If it will only keep Starrie Chase
- 41: No foghorn warnings made any impression
- 42: The Owl Patrol as they have named it
- 43: But how did he get interested in Harold Greer
- 44: CHAPTER VIIITHE BOWLINE KNOT Scout Nixon Warren
- 45: This he translated for Harold's benefit Gaston Gue
- 46: You'll no come for go in gran' foret agen
- 47: Together they sought to decoy Harold into a conversation
- 48: I'll show you how to tie a bowline knot
- 49: Presently the noose was complete
- 50: Embracing Harold as his cute one
- 51: Until he produced the tenderfoot whom he had trained
- 52: But Leon had little opportunity
- 53: Starrie would declare to himself in an ecstatic drawl
- 54: Toiney was elected assistant scoutmaster
- 55: His black eyes intent upon a fox path
- 56: We arre de bes' scout ev'ry tam
- 57: Godey edged slyly nearer to Leon
- 58: Godey shook his head over the action
- 59: Being named the Sugarloaf from its crystalline whiteness
- 60: With the breeze the freshening
- 61: And drove against that paintless door
- 62: There was a stir within the paintless dwelling
- 63: Ma'am Baldwin stepped toward it
- 64: And he found himself outside again upon the dark marshland
- 65: Beyond upland and broad salt marsh
- 66: Agreed the scoutmaster regretfully
- 67: Haven't you brought any beefsteak and potatoes
- 68: He wants to be present at the Owl Powwow
- 69: I'll see heem gros seal on reever
- 70: Nixon glanced at his cousin Coombsie
- 71: CHAPTER XIITHE CHRISTMAS BRIGADE Estu preta
- 72: Such as Godey Peck and his gang
- 73: Into a basket for old Ma'am Baldwin
- 74: These berries are as red as Varney's Paintpot
- 75: I'll wager 'twas Nix Warren who hooted that time
- 76: Nixon was shrieking in his ear
- 77: Proudly cried Scoutmaster Estey
- 78: Of which Godey became patrol leader
- 79: Announced Assistant Scoutmaster Toiney
- 80: His voice exploded gutturally like a bomb Gard' donc
- 81: I'll t'ink shes go for choke heem
- 82: 'most near enough to shake his flipper
- 83: With their scoutmasters and camp outfit
- 84: Speculations about the habits of the vaurien
- 85: Cranberries there near the tide
- 86: Then a smaller tent for the scoutmaster
- 87: Reigned temporarily over the dunes
- 88: Was not neglected by this boy scout patrol
- 89: Feeling the boisterous tidal ripples
- 90: He ejaculated in a whisper audible only to Nixon
- 91: I'd like to stop and dig clams with him
- 92: At the powwow to night the encounter with Dave Baldwin
- 93: Broke in Godey Peck of the Fox Patrol
- 94: That's what uncovered your clam shells
- 95: Nixon vented a prolonged whistle of consternation
- 96: To their scoutmaster on the hill
- 97: Returned the scoutmaster impulsively
- 98: Answered the scoutmaster sadly
- 99: Over the uplands into the woods
- 100: While the policemen listened patiently
- 101: Nobody would give me the chance
- 102: The Constellation bore down upon the shipwrecked men
- 103: We arre de bes' scout ev'ry tam'
- 104: Dave Baldwin paused in his energetic tree felling