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  CHAPTER XXXI

  GOOD-BYE TO DEER HEAD LODGE

  "I think I'll sleep a whole lot better to-night," announced Bobolink,as he gave a huge yawn, and stretched his arms high above his head.

  "What's the reason?" demanded Jud, quickly. "Are you happy becausewe're going to break camp so much sooner than we expected, owing toeverything being snowed under up here in the woods?"

  "Bobolink doesn't get enough to eat, I reckon," suggested Tom Betts.

  "If he doesn't it's his own fault then," Jack went on to say, "becausehe has more to do with the cooking end of the game than any of us."

  "I guess I know what he means," hinted Spider Sexton, mysteriously.

  "Then get a move on you, Spider, and enlighten the rest of us," coaxedSandy, as he cuddled a bit closer to the crackling fire, for the windhad arisen again, and parts of the cabin were chilly, despite theroaring blaze.

  "Why, the fact of the matter is, Bobolink has a new girl to take tobarn dances and all that this winter," said Spider, boldly. "It's thatpretty Rose Dexter belonging to the new family in town. Oh! youneedn't grin at me that way, Bobolink. I own up I was doing my best tocut in on you there, but you seemed to have the inside track of me andI quit. But she is a peach if ever there was one!"

  "Well, do you blame me then for feeling satisfied when we talk ofgoing home?" demanded the accused scout. "All the same you're all awayoff in your guesses. I'm hoping to sleep soundly to-night just becausemy mind is free from wondering who set that incendiary fire and tappedMr. Briggs' safe."

  "Oh! so that's the reason, is it?" laughed Paul. "I've been watchingyou more or less since we came up here, and I wondered if you hadn'tbeen trying to figure that mystery out. I'm glad for your sake, aswell as for some others' sakes, that we've been able to clear thatthing up."

  "All I hope now is that on our way back home we can stop off and paythe hoboes a little friendly visit," continued Bobolink.

  "Same here," Jud added, quickly. "Even if our outing hasn't beeneverything we hoped for, it would even things up some if we couldmarch into Stanhope and hand the guilty men over to the police."

  Indeed, Bobolink was not the only scout who slept "like a rock" onthat night. Most of the boys were very tired after the exertions ofthe day, and, besides, now that it had been decided to return home,they really had a load removed from their minds.

  Of course, all of them could have enjoyed a much longer stay at DeerHead Lodge had the conditions been normal. That tremendous fall ofsnow, something like two feet on the level, Paul felt, had utterlyprostrated many of their best plans, and facing a protracted siege ofit did not offer a great deal of attraction.

  With the coming of morning they were once more astir, and were soon asbusy as a hive of bees. Each scout seemed intent on getting as muchdone as possible while the day lasted.

  Tolly Tip alone looked sober. The quaint and honest fellow had taken agreat liking to his guests, and looked forward to their speedydeparture with something akin to dismay.

  "Sure the rist av the winter will same a dreary time with not a heartyyoung voice to give me gratin' av a mornin'," he told Paul. "Indade, Idon't know how I'm goin' to stand for the same at all, at all."

  "I'll tell you this, Tolly Tip," replied the scout leaderemphatically. "If we get off during the Easter holidays some of us maytake a run up here to visit you again. And perhaps you'll findoccasion to come to Stanhope in some business dealings with Mr.Garrity. In that case you must let us know. I'll call a specialmeeting of the scouts, and you'll be our honored guest."

  The old woodsman was visibly affected by these hearty words. He led alonely life of it, although until the coming of these merry boys ithad not seemed especially so. They had aroused long buried memories ofhis own boyhood, and given him a "new lease of life," as he declared.

  Nothing remarkable happened on this last day in camp, though numerousthings took place. Paul saw to it that in the afternoon the boys goteverything ready to pack so there would be little delay in themorning, and they could get an early start if the weather conditionswere at all favorable.

  The weather remained good. The great storm must have covered aconsiderable stretch of territory east of the Mississippi and theGreat Lakes and cleared the atmosphere wonderfully, for again themorning dawned without a threatening cloud to give cause for anxiety.

  There was considerable bustle inside the cabin and out of it aboutthat time. Packs were being done up, though in much smaller compassthan when the boys arrived at the camp, since only enough food wasbeing taken along to serve for a couple of meals.

  All the rest they only too gladly bequeathed to their genial host.Many were the silent resolves on the part of the boys as to what theywould send up to Deer Head Lodge if ever the chance arrived, tobaccofor Tolly Tip's pipe being of course the main idea, since he seemed tolack nothing else.

  On Tolly Tip's part, he forced each of the lads to pack away aparticular pelt which they were to have made into some sort of smallarticle, just to remember the glorious outing in the snowy woods by.

  At last the time came to say good-bye to the camp, and it was withunanimous agreement that the scouts clustered in a bunch, swung theirhats, and gave three parting cheers for the lodge in the wilderness.

  Tolly Tip had laid out their course, and on the way the main bodyhalted while he and Paul tramped over to the foot of the hill wherethe cave among the rocks lay.

  Paul was pleased to find the cave empty and the ashes cold where thefire had burned, thus proving that Hank and his three companions hadstarted overland for home on the previous day.

  Once more joining the others, they continued on their way.

  "Next in line come our friends, the hobo yeggmen!" remarked Jud, witha grim closing of his lips.

  "Listen," said Paul, impressively, "for the last time I want tocaution you all to follow the directions I've given. We must try tocreep up on that old shack, and find out what the tramps are doingbefore we show our hand."

  "Well, what have scouts been learning woodcraft for if they can't do abit of spy work?" asked Jud, boldly. "All you have to do, Paul, is topick those you want to keep you company when you make the grand creep;while the rest hang out close by, ready to jump in at the signal andmake it unanimous."

  It might have been noticed, were one watching closely, that Jud saidthis with a complacent smile hovering about his lips. The reason waseasily guessed, because Jud really had no peer among the members ofStanhope Troop of Boy Scouts when it came to creeping up on game orsome pretended enemy.

  He had often proved his superiority in this respect, and couldtherefore take it for granted that the scout-master would pick himout to accompany him on an occasion like this.

  "All right, Jud," said Paul, smilingly, for he understood very wellhow the other felt, "I'll take Jack with me, Bobolink, and Tom Bettsas well--yes, and you may come along too, I guess."

  Some of them snickered at this, while Jud glared haughtily around andshrugged his shoulders, looking aggrieved, until Paul took occasion towhisper in his ear:

  "That was meant for a joke you understand, Jud. Of course, I couldn'tthink of doing this thing without your help."

  Later on Tolly Tip announced that they would now leave the creek andhead in the direction of the abandoned charcoal burners' shack. Allthe scouts felt more or less of a thrill in anticipation of what wasto come.

  "I only hope," Jud was heard to mutter, aggressively, "that theyhaven't gone and skedaddled since Bud Phillips saw 'em in the place.That'd make me feel pretty sore, let me tell you!"

  "Not much chance of that happening, Jud," Jack assured the grumbler,"unless by some accident their supplies got low. And Bud said theyseemed to have enough on hand to last for weeks. Everything's going toturn out as we want it, make up your mind to that."

  The old woodsman knew every rod of territory around that section, andcould have led his charges in a bee-line to the shack except for thesnowdrifts. Of course, these caused more or less meandering, but inthe end they cam
e to a place where Tolly Tip raised a warning finger.

  Every boy knew by that they must be close upon the shack. Indeed, awhiff of wood smoke floated their way just then, announcing that thegoal was at hand.

  They moved on for a couple of minutes. Then all could glimpse thedilapidated cabin amidst the snow piles, with smoke oozing from itsdisabled mud and slab chimney. Paul made a gesture that theyrecognized, whereupon part of the company came to a halt and hid,while the others crept on with the leader.