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CHAPTER XI.
THE HAIRY THIEF THAT WALKED ON TWO LEGS

No wonder the returned scouts stared, hardly daring to believe their eyes and ears. Some of them of course thought Ginger might have gone out of his head. Only on the preceding night had Elmer been telling them what queer antics animals out on the plains go through with, when they have been eating the loco weed.

There were a few who seemed to have a hazy suspicion that possibly Red might be concerned in this strange fright on the part of poor Ginger. True, the boy with the lame leg had apparently just dragged himself out of the tent, and the look on his face under that fiery shock of hair would indicate astonishment as genuine as their own; but then, how were they to know but what this had been assumed?

Mr. Garrabrant, however, made direct for the moaning and wabbling negro, who had fallen on his knees, and with clasped hands was bowing back and forth in an agony of fear.

"Here, what's the matter with you, Ginger?" he demanded, catching hold of the other, and while Ginger gave a little screech at first, upon turning his rolling eyes upward he appeared to recognize the genial face of the young scout master.

"Oh! Mistah Grabant, am dat youse?" he cried, seizing hold of the other's arm. "I'se mighty glad tuh see yuh, suh, 'deed an' I is. Am it gone foh suah?"

"What gone?" demanded Mr. Garrabrant, sternly. "See here, Ginger, have you kept a black bottle hidden away all this time while we have been in camp?" For he had a sudden inspiration that possibly Ginger might be addicted to the failing that besets so many of his color.

"'Deed an' 'deed an' I ain't touched a single drap, suh," declared the demoralized one; "'clar tuh goodness if I has. It war dar, jes' ober yander, whar de box ob crackers am alyin' right now. An' he scolded me, suh, foh interferin' wid de liberties he am takin' wid dem provisions, dat he did! Ugh! tuh t'ink dat I'd lib tuh set eyes on de Ole Nick!"

"But what makes you think it was Satan? Perhaps it was only some wandering hobo who thought he saw a good chance to steal something to eat?" and the scout master sought to hold Ginger's roving eyes fastened upon his own orbs, so as to rivet his attention, and secure a coherent answer to his question.

"Sho! dat was no human animal, suh!" exclaimed Ginger, earnestly. "He done hab a cover ob red hair, an' de wickedest grin on his face yuh ebber see. Reckon I knows de debble w'en I sees him."

"Well, from what you say, Ginger, this queer visitor seems to have had a very human weakness for crackers," remarked Mr. Garrabrant, smiling. "Was he carrying that package of biscuit when you saw him first?"

"Yas, suh, dat an' two more ob dem same. He drap it 'case he couldn't hold de lot, an' walk away too. Yuh see, suh, I war cleaning some fish dat de boys dey fotched in las' ebenin', an' which we nebber use foh breakfast dis mornin'. Den I tink I hyah some queer noise in de camp, an' I starts up dis a ways. 'Twar den dat de hairy ole critter steps outen de store tent, and jabbers at me. I was skeered nigh 'bout stiff, suh, 'clar tuh goodness I was."

"Still, you shouted, for we heard you, Ginger!" said Mr. Garrabrant.

"Reckons I did do sumpin' dat way, boss," admitted the negro, a faint grin striving to make its appearance on his ebony face. "Dat was jes' when de Ole Harry, he was asteppin' into de bushes, acarryin' two ob de boxes ob crackers in his arms."

"Do you mean to say he walked erect, on two legs?" asked the scout master.

"Shore he did, suh, right along, ahuggin' de grub wid one arm, an' shakin' his fist at me wid de udder."

"Now you talk as though it must have been a man – perhaps a wild man who may have been living in these woods for years?" suggested Mr. Garrabrant.

But Ginger shook his head in an obstinate fashion, saying:

"I knows right well dat he wa'n't dat, suh; I'se dead suah 'bout it!"

"But why do you say that; what proof have you it was not some sort of man, Ginger?"

"'Case he done hab a tail, suh!" cried the other, triumphantly.

Mr. Garrabrant smiled, and gave Elmer, who was close at his elbow all the while, a knowing wink.

"Well," he remarked, "that tail business would seem to settle one thing, Ginger. Unless this turns out to be the long-sought Missing Link, our visitor could hardly have been a human being. He was evidently an animal of some sort. Get that idea of the Old Nick out of your head. Listen to me, Ginger, and try to remember; did he say anything to you?"

"Yas, sah, he did, lots!" answered the black man, eagerly.

"Suppose you tell us what it was, then?" suggested the scout master, quickly.

"Dar's wha' yuh got me, Mistah Grabant," replied the other, reluctantly. "Yuh see, suh, I nebber did git much schoolin' down in Virginny, whah I was bawn an' brought up. Nebber did go to college an' larn de dead langwidges."

"Oh! then this creature talked to you in Greek, or possibly Hebrew, did he? In other words, he chattered in an unknown tongue! Well, how about you, Oscar; did you happen to catch a glimpse of Ginger's uninvited guest?" and Mr. Garrabrant turned suddenly on Red, as though wishing to make positive that this were not a clever trick he might have been playing on the terrified black man.

"No, sir," came the ready response. "I was busy inside when I heard Ginger give that war whoop! I thought he might have burned himself at the fire, and I hurt my game pin like fun when I tried to run out. All I saw was the coon down on his marrowbones asinging that same tune about the 'debble.' That's all I know, sir, give you my word for it."

"All right, I believe you, Oscar," continued the scout master, plainly disturbed by this new mystery that had descended upon the camp, yet pretending to make light of it because he did not wish to alarm the boys under his charge. "And now, Ginger, can you point out to me just the spot where your strange friend vanished?"

"'Deed an' 'deed he ain't no friend ob mine, suh, gibes yuh my word foh dat," replied the other, solemnly. "Right ober yandah, suh, whah dem bushes hangs low. An' I declars tuh Moses, suh, I don't know right now whedder de ugly ole sinner he jes' step intuh de bushes, or go up in a cloud ob fire like de prophet ob old."

Several of the more impulsive scouts started to hurry in that direction.

"Stop, boys!" called the scout master instantly. "Come back here, please. Once before you succeeded in trampling all sign out, so that Elmer was unable to pick up any clue. Now, I want just Elmer and Mark to go over there, to investigate. After that has been done they will report to me. And now, let's settle down in camp, for I know you are all tired. Supper is the next thing on the program."

Elmer, accompanied by his nearest chum, immediately walked carefully over in the direction of the spot which Ginger had indicated. They bent low, and seemed to be deeply interested in certain tracks they had found.

Of course the boys shot many curious glances that way, but they knew better than to disobey the positive orders given by their chief. Discipline is one of the first things taught among the Boy Scouts.

About this time Dr. Ted and Jack Armitage got back from a day at the cabin. They had much to tell about what they had occupied themselves in doing all the time, preparing things so that in a few days the family could be moved, for Mr. Garrabrant had fully decided to take the sick man and his "kiddies" down in one of the boats to Rockaway, where they could be looked after until the expedition returned.

It was getting dusk before Elmer and his chum joined the others. They did not give out any information, and to the inquiries of their curious mates returned only vague smiles and nods.

Supper was eaten with more or less clatter of tongues. There were so many interesting subjects claiming their attention that the boys hardly knew which to discuss first.

When, however, the meal was about done, Mr. Garrabrant asked Elmer to step aside with him for a short time.

"Here, let us sit down on this convenient log, Elmer," remarked the scout master. "And please tell me what you found."

"We had no difficulty in discovering the tracks, sir," replied the boy, whose experience on a Canadian prairie farm and ranch made him a valuable addition to the ranks of the Boy Scouts at such a time.

"Was it a man or an animal?" asked the gentleman, as though eager to have that mooted point settled immediately.

"Oh! an animal, sir, there can be no doubt of that," replied Elmer, smiling. "But those tracks puzzle me the worst kind. I know what the trail of a panther looks like, also that of a fox, a wolf, a bear, a deer, a coyote, a wildcat – but this was entirely different from any of these. It resembled the footprint of a human being – a child – more than anything I ever saw."

Mr. Garrabrant smiled, and nodded his head.

"I've got an idea," he said, "but go on, and tell me what else you learned. Then I'll put you wise to what I suspect."

"Well," the boy continued, "the queer thing about it is that Ginger was quite right when he said the thing walked on two legs. I could only find the marks of that many. Now, I've seen a bear do that stunt, and educated dogs, but no other animal outside of a circus."

"How about a monkey?" asked the scout master, quietly.

"Oh! Mr. Garrabrant, how could such an animal get up here? Monkeys live in tropical countries only. But I can see that you've got an idea. Please let me hear it."

"Listen then, Elmer," the other went on, seriously. "Now, I happen to know that just a month ago a certain gentleman named Colonel Hitchens, living on a country place he calls Caldwell, just a mile outside the town of Rockaway, lost a pet monkey that had been taught to do a lot of funny antics. The gentleman was an old traveler, and had brought the animal himself from some foreign land. I remember his telling me how he caught him, by filling some cocoanut shells with strong drink, and getting the animal stupid."

"Oh! that must be it, then!" exclaimed Elmer, laughing, while the look of bewilderment left his face. "No wonder the tracks were a riddle to me. I've never as yet had the pleasure of hunting monkeys, or Barbary apes, or gorillas. Yes, sir, the more I think of it, the more I believe that you've hit the truth. It must have been a monkey, hungry for some of the things he had been used to when held a prisoner at Colonel Hitchens'."

"I saw the beast perform once," Mr. Garrabrant went on, "and he was really a marvel. He was a big chap, too, hairy and ugly. When he chattered and scowled he certainly was enough to give one a shiver. No wonder then that he frightened poor Ginger almost into convulsions. No wonder our factotum believed he had seen the Old Nick. But what had he better do about it, Elmer?"

"That's just what I wanted to speak with you about, sir," the boy remarked, with considerable eagerness. "Now the chances are that, having once made a raid on our store tent, this monkey will come again another time, perhaps even to-night."

"That sounds reasonable," replied the scout master, nodding his head. "By the way, I just happened to remember the monkey's name. It fitted him pretty well, too, as you'll admit when you see him. Diablo it was."

"Just think of it, sir, just the name Ginger gave him, too. But Mark and I have decided to set a trap to catch him. We'll fix it so that if the monkey tries to enter the store tent again he'll set off a trigger, and some queer results will follow. For one thing he'll find himself caught up in the loop of a rope, and held, kicking, off the ground until we can come to corral him. Then, if it happens to be in the night, the falling of the trigger will set a flashlight going, and Mark's camera, placed for the occasion, will take a picture of the trespasser."

"That sounds fine, Elmer," laughed the scout master. "Now, I leave the matter in your hands entirely. Do what you think best, and I wish you success."

"How about telling the boys, sir?" asked Elmer.

Mr. Garrabrant thought it over a moment.

"Perhaps you'd better take the whole bunch into your confidence," he said, presently. "They are deeply interested, you know, and if kept in ignorance possibly some one might stumble across your plans, and upset every calculation."

And so, when Elmer returned to the fire, he had the entire bunch listening, their eyes round with wonder, as they learned what had been discovered, and also of the bright plans their chums had arranged looking to the capture of Diablo.

Only Ginger was evidently disturbed. He scratched his head as he listened, as if he could hardly believe what he saw had been of this earth, and the idea of Elmer being so rash as to want to try and make a prisoner of the Evil One gave the ignorant negro a cold shiver. Doubtless he would make sure to find a snug place to sleep that night, where nothing could get at him. His mind was still filled with foolish notions concerning that "chariot of fire" in which he might be carried out of this world into the Great Unknown.

CHAPTER XII.
LAYING A GHOST

"Well, Elmer," remarked Mr. Garrabrant, the next morning, as he came out of his tent and met the young scout leader face to face, "I must have slept unusually sound last night, for the alarm failed to awaken me!"

"There was no alarm, sir," smiled Elmer.

"Meaning that we did not have the pleasure of a second visit from Diablo, the educated monkey, is that it?" asked the scout master, pleasantly.

"Yes, sir," the boy went on, "Diablo must have secured enough rations in his first raid to last him for twenty-four hours. But Mark and myself do not think of giving our job up yet awhile. We expect to catch a likeness of our hairy visitor, even if the trap fails to work, and hold him a prisoner. I suppose Colonel Hitchens would be very glad to have the beast back, if it turns out that this is Diablo?"

"I'm sure of it, and as he is a wealthy man, no doubt he would willingly pay a round sum to those who would return his pet," Mr. Garrabrant declared.

"Oh! we were not thinking of that, sir, I give you my word," declared Elmer; "but possibly, if we did happen to succeed, the gentleman might be willing to do something for poor Abe in return for our restoring his pet."

The scout master looked keenly at Elmer, and then thrust out his hand impulsively.

"That was well said, my boy," he remarked, with a little quiver in his voice. "I am proud to know that you feel that way toward the unfortunate. And I give you my word, if you are so fortunate as to capture Diablo, I'll convince Colonel Hitchens that it is his duty to do a lot for Abe and his little flock. That boy is made of the right stuff, I'm sure, and ought to have the advantages of an education. I'm going to see that he has his chance."

"Yes, sir, just to think of a kid not over six years old being able to set a muskrat trap, and actually take skins. Why, I know a lot about the little varmints, and I give you my word, sir, they're pretty sharp. It takes a bright boy to outwit an old seasoned muskrat. He showed me quite a lot of skins he had cured, of course under his father's directions."

"And then that girl, Little Lou – think of her doing all the cooking for the family ever since her mother was taken away?" continued the gentleman. "She's a darling, if I ever saw one. I grew quite fond of her, and mean to see more of them all. But I ought to be laying out the program for to-day's work."

"What are we to try to-day, sir?" asked Elmer, who, as second in command, had privileges in talking with the scout master that none of the other lads dared assume.

"Well, as it promises to be a warm day, we might try the swimming test for one thing," replied Mr. Garrabrant, thoughtfully. "At the same time there is that feat of landing a big fish with a rod and a small line, the said fish being of course an active boy, who does his best to break away. While we're at it, we may as well go through our usual formula whereby anyone who has been nearly drowned may be resuscitated again. And last, but not least, we can have Dr. Ted give us his talk on first aid to the injured. He will get back in good time if he leaves after lunch for the Morris cabin."

"I think Chatz is waiting to speak to you, sir," remarked Elmer, who had been noticing the Southern lad hovering near for some little time, looking queerly in their direction.

"Is that so?" remarked Mr. Garrabrant. "Now I hope he hasn't been seeing more of his hobgoblins. That is about the only weakness Charles seems to have. Otherwise I find him a very sensible lad. If only he could be cured of his belief in the supernatural it would be a good thing."

"Well," laughed Elmer, "some of us would be only too glad of the chance to cure him. Shall I go away, and let him have an interview, sir?"

"No, remain, and hear what Charles has to say. It may be I shall need your services. This time the tracks of the ghost may not have been trampled out of sight, and you can give a guess at its character. I never in all my life knew of so many queer happenings inside of so short a time."

The scout master beckoned toward Chatz, and obeying the mandate the Southern boy came quickly forward.

"You wish to speak with me, Charles, I imagine?"

"Yes, sir," replied the other, with a frown on his brow.

"Has something happened again to disturb you?" inquired Mr. Garrabrant.

"Yes, sir."

"Last night, I presume, since you would have spoken before, had it happened yesterday?" the scout master continued, quietly.

"Last night it was, sir. I saw IT again!" remarked Chatz, appearing to swallow something that was in his throat.

"Oh! you mean that mysterious white object which appeared to you on the other occasion, and seemed to assume all the characteristics of a supernatural visitor? In other words, Charles, your pet ghost?" remarked Mr. Garrabrant.

The boy flushed, but held his ground.

"Of course," he said, slowly, "I understand what a contempt you have for any such idea, sir; and indeed, I only wish it could be shown to me that this is only some natural object, and not of the other world. I'd be too glad to know it. I hate to think I'm given to such ideas, but they seem to be a part of my nature, and I can't help it, try as I may."

"Well, perhaps we may be able to assist you, Charles," returned the genial scout master, laying a hand on the lad's shoulder in a way that quite won his confidence. "Now tell me what you saw, when and where, also what it looked like."

"I think it was in about the same quarter as before, sir. My watch happened to come late in the night this time, in fact just before dawn broke. I heard again that blood-curdling sound, a plain 'woof'! and raising my head I could just make it out in the darkness. It was white, as before, and it moved! Then all of a sudden it seemed to vanish most mysteriously."

"Well, did the other sentry see anything, Charles?" asked Mr. Garrabrant.

"We had arranged it all between us, sir, Ty Collins and myself. And he will tell you, sir, that he saw just what I did," replied Chatz, earnestly.

"That sounds as though you might have seen something, then," smiled Mr. Garrabrant. "And Elmer, you were so successful in picking out those other tracks, suppose you try again."

"Shall I go now, sir?" asked the other, readily.

"I would like you to. If you find a trail, you might follow it up a bit. Perhaps Charles would like to accompany you."

"Yes, sir, I would, if you didn't object," replied the Southern lad, quickly.

"Very well," nodded the scout master. "Report to me when you are through, Elmer."

So the two boys went away together. Some of the others, seeing them bending down as though examining the ground, made a move as if to join them, but Mr. Garrabrant was watching, and called them back.

He saw Elmer, followed by the wondering Chatz, walk slowly away, his head bent low, as though he were following some sort of trail.

And the scout master laughed softly to himself as he muttered:

"I fancy Charles is about to have a little surprise, now that Elmer has found a trail to follow. Because, as a true believer in ghosts, he must realize that anything that leaves traces behind can hardly claim supernatural qualities."

Twenty minutes afterwards, shortly before breakfast was ready, the two boys came back again. Chatz was smiling in a queer way, but Elmer looked like a sphinx.

The latter, obeying a beckoning finger, hurried over to join Mr. Garrabrant.

"Unless my eyes deceive me, Elmer," remarked the gentleman, with a quizzical expression on his handsome face, "you've been up to your old tricks again, and finding out things. How is it, do you plead guilty to the charge?"

"I guess I'll just have to, sir," replied the boy, also smiling now.

"Then you found a trail, did you?"

"Yes, sir," Elmer went on, "a positive one; though the ground was that hard a greenhorn could never have seen it. And while Chatz kept at my side I don't think he dreamed what I was doing as we went along. Then, about a hundred yards away I heard that same queer 'woof' he spoke of."

"It didn't give you a shock, I warrant, Elmer?" remarked the scout master.

"Well, you see, sir, I've had too much to do with cattle not to recognize the snort of a startled cow! And that was what we saw just ahead of us. She had been lying down, chewing her cud, and our coming had caused her to get on her feet."

"Did she happen to have a white face, Elmer?" laughed Mr. Garrabrant.

"Just what she did, sir," the boy replied. "Chatz looked at me, and turned pale, then red; after which he laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks. I think we put quite a spoke in his spook wheel, sir. He won't be so ready to believe in supernatural visitors after this."

"It was well done, Elmer, and I thank you for it. Now, let's to breakfast, for we have a strenuous day before us," and the scout master led the way to the place where a bounteous meal had been spread for the entire troop of scouts.

During the morning the swimming tests were started, and Mr. Garrabrant, who was a splendid swimmer himself, took charge of matters. Some excellent work was done, and the timid ones taught how to strike out, to float, and to tread water, as well as various races inaugurated that were full of fun.

After that came the wonderful fishing contest, where the boys did what they could to land one of their mates who played the part of a hooked fish, fighting to get away, just as a monster scaly prize like a tarpon might have done.

Of course Elmer was the leader in this game, for he had had much more experience as a sportsman than any of the rest, but there were several who proved themselves good seconds in the trial, and who would make the winner look to his laurels in the near future.

That brought them to noon, and matters were allowed to simmer while they got busy cooking a lunch to satisfy the tremendous appetites that the vigorous labor of the morning had developed.

Ted and Lil Artha expected to take a tramp over to the lone cabin during the afternoon. They could not start, however, until the concluding work of the day had been attended to. As this was to be "first aid to the injured" the presence of the only budding doctor in camp would be required, in order to explain many important things connected with this valuable adjunct to scout lore.

It was possibly nearly three o'clock before the two lads got started. But that did not matter much, for by this time Ted had become very familiar with the way of the blazed trail, and could follow it "with his eyes blindfolded," as he boastingly remarked, though Elmer knew this was hardly so.

Some of the scouts were out on the lake, trying to coax a mess of fish to come closer to the fire and get warmed up. The taste of browned trout haunted them, and even Mr. Garrabrant admitted that the way Elmer cooked the fish, they were finer than any he had ever eaten. It was to have the salt pork in a hot frying pan, until it had been well tried out, then having rolled each fish in cracker crumbs, or corn meal if the former were not handy, they were placed over the fire in the pan to brown.

Another time Elmer broiled the fish, and the boys were uncertain as to which method they liked most. When they ate the trout cooked one way that excelled, and next day when the other method was tried they believed it could not be equalled.

Evening was not far away when a shout attracted the attention of all those in camp. Even the few who happened to be inside the tents came hurrying out to see what it meant.

"That must have been Lil Artha," declared Elmer immediately. "Nobody else has so loud a whoop. Yes, there they come, he and Ted, hurrying down the side of the mountain. They seem to be in something of a hurry, too."

"And look at Ted waving his hand, will you?" exclaimed Toby, beginning to get excited himself. "He wouldn't act that way, fellers, except that there's something gone wrong. Gee! I hope now the old man ain't been taken sudden, and handed in his checks! That would be tough on the kids, now!"

Mr. Garrabrant heard what Toby said, but made no remark. He was waiting for the coming of the two scouts who had gone across the mountain on their errand of mercy.

The long-legged Lil Artha could have easily outrun his comrade had he chosen, but he made no effort to do so. Still, as they drew closer, it could be easily seen that both boys showed unmistakable evidences of some tremendous excitement. And, naturally, their fellow scouts almost trembled with eagerness to learn what could have happened to affect them in this way.

Three minutes later and they drew up in front of the group, panting, flushed – their eyes sparkling with suppressed news.