A Boy Scout's Courage

I'd rather be here than anywhe

alled to the States? Was it just that very morning that he and his good chum Dick Mercer had been detailed on this mission which had led to the discovery of the secret heliographs so busily sending messages to the enemy across the North Sea? Was it just a few hours since the two Scouts, hot on

or it was Harry Fleming, hero of "A Boy Scout's Daring," whom we now find listening in an agony of fear rather than of pain to such sounds as came to him after Dick had, so reluctantly, left him pinned in the trap. He could hear, plainly enough, the adva

ly bearable. The pain in his ankle from the trap in which he had been caught was excruciating. It seemed to him that he must cry out, but he kept silen

ut his own course. They would look for footprints. These would lead them to the spot where he and Dick had watched the raising of the wireless mast, and th

ry started, hurting his imprisoned ankle terribly by the wrench his sudden movement gave it. Then he listened eagerly for the cry he dreaded yet expected to hear, that would tell him that Dick had be

believe Dick's fooled them! I didn't think he had it in hi

flashlights had followed Dick; there was at least a good chance that no one else knew about him. He had decided that there was some system of signal

encouraging. The steel band looked most formidable. It was on the handcuff principle and any attempt to work his foot loose would only make the grip tighter and increase his suffering. His spirits fell at that.

heard a cautious movement within a few feet. At first he thought it was an animal he had heard, so si

ght you were somewhere around here, but I couldn't find you unt

d Dick. "W

more welcome in his ears than that voice! "Tell me who you are and what you two were doing around here. I saw you this afternoon and tracked you

id Harry.

ou coming in here. We've got a patrol in the villag

y explained a little, enough to

," said Harry. "I think my chum got away, but it woul

th my eyes shut. I used to play here before the old family moved away. I'm the vicar's son, in the village, and

Harry. "But how am I goin

lashlight a moment,

He guessed that he was going to try to pick the lock. And in a minute or less Harry heard a welcome click that tol

ngly, to walk. He had been fortunate, as a matter of fact, in that no bone had been crushed. That might well have happened with such a trap, or a ligament or tendon might have been wrenched or torn,

de he would be able, with the other scout's aid, to give his foot some attention, using the first aid outfit t

He was handicapped by his lack of knowledge of the place and what little he did know was discouraging. He had proof that human enemies were not the only ones he had to fear. And the only way he knew tha

risky. But there's another way. I've been in here since these people start

he wall, they were heading straight in and toward the great grey house. They circled the woods that gave them the essential protection of darkness, and always they got further and further from the

ion. "It's where the river runs by the place. They think no one would come that wa

o a tangle of shrubbery. It was hard going for him, for his ankle pained him a good deal, but

re here!" he said, h

ike a cave,

old, you know. It was here when they fought the Wars of t

d as they went. But Harry, pointing his flashl

! I understand now!"

d in time of siege. There used to be another spur of this tunnel that ran right into the house. But that was all let go to pot, for some reason. This is

naturally craved about the other before. And now, as t

e other scout. "I say, you d

I'm for England just now–and we were caught her

ere the light of the stars enabled t

after–you two," he said. "The

arry, astonished. "But how

'm no end of a scout! I followed you as s

" said Harry, a little crestfallen. "I'm glad we did, but

ve always been suspicious of the people who took Bray Park. They didn't act the way English people do. They didn't come to church, and when the pater–I told you h

stand that the new tenants of Bray Park could not have chosen a sure

d I'd keep my eyes open, especially on any strangers who came around. So there you hav

fer. Cold water helped considerably; it reduced the swelling. And then Jack skillfully

said. "See if it do

ell, now the next thing to do is to try to find where Dick is. I know

of the tunnel, which there had been no way of following in the utter darkness. But Jack Young, who, of course, could have found his wa

rescuer he had found a new friend, and one whom he was going to li

ke the war seriously yet. When I said the other day that it might last long enough for me to be old eno

ut it yet, really. But if the Germans fight the way

ased speed the bandaging made possible more than made up for the time it had req

they came near to the place wh

was more upset than he had cared to admit by the discovery that he and Dick had been spied upon by Jack, excellent thoug

ack. "I'll form a rear guard–d'ye

d one over there? I marked that. The cache is in a straight line, almost

k. "He's tugging at a cycle, as if he

id Harry, greatly relieved.

on he, too, saw Dick bu

ough?" he thought. "Poor old Di

Dick turned. But–it was no