CHAPTER XVI.

LENDING A HELPING HAND.

"THERE comes Red, now," said Mark, about ten minutes later, and presently the party mentioned came hurrying up to the door of the log cabin, on which he beat a loud tattoo.

"Open up here, fellows!" he called. "Danger's passed. Both those tramps are just legging it out of this section to beat the band. Reckon they're more'n a mile off right now. My! but they're scared. Won't stop runnin' for the next hour. It was as good as a circus to see 'em talkin', when they just couldn't find me out. Must 'a' begun to think it was one of Chatz's ghosts right out of the graveyard."

"Now, just you drop that subject, Red," remarked the Southern lad, aggressively. "It's nobody's business what I believe in, suh, and I'd thank you to keep your opinions to yourself. I reckon now that everyone has his failings, and if mine happen to be a belief in spirits that's my affair, suh. That's all foh you, Red."

"What're we going to do next, Elmer?" demanded Toby.

"Head for home," replied the leader, promptly.

"Yes," added Matt Tubbs, "Ruth's ma will be countin' the minutes till we get there, I reckon. If she's tuckered out, the little gal I mean, fellers, just let me carry her."

"Oh! we all can take a turn at that," remarked Lil Artha. "She's only a featherweight, and there ain't one of us but what would want to have a hand in toting her back. Let's be starting, boys!"

"Say, what d'ye mean to do with me?" called Dolph, who, lying there on the hard earthen floor of the bunk-house, had been listening to all the talk, and wondering what he had better do to further his own interests.

Elmer, followed by several of the scouts, sauntered over to him.

"I was just trying to make up my mind," he said, "whether we had better take you along with us and hand you over to the police, or leave you here, and send them after you."

"What's the use doin' either?" remarked the man, eagerly. "Turn me loose and see me skip out of this section like a scared rabbit."

But Elmer was not in the least inclined to take that view of the matter. Dolph had a hard face. He had proven himself a cruel rascal. Elmer remembered the way he had shaken little Ruth, and all sense of pity for the man's condition was banished from his heart.

"That would suit you, I suppose, from the ground up," he remarked; "but it would be a bad job for other people. Besides, I promised the police that if we were lucky enough to get our hands on you we'd hold you. Here, that'll do now, Dolph Gruber; if you keep up that kind of talk we'll muzzle you. I've seen men gagged before now, and know how it's done. And I give you my word it doesn't feel the finest thing in the world, either. Not another word or you get it!"

The prisoner had formed an opinion of the young scout master. He believed that it would be silly in the extreme to anger him, and so, grumbling, and gritting his teeth, he allowed them to do what they wished.

His ankles having been unfastened, Dolph was told to get up, one of the scouts assisting him at the same time.

"Here, Lil Artha," said the commander, "pick out three other fellows who have clubs as good as that one you carry. Form around the prisoner, and act as his escort. If he tries to escape you know what to do without my telling."

"Say, just let him give us the least excuse for treating him to a dose, that's all. I saw him cuff that little girl, and it showed what a big brute he is. Don't I just hope he'll try to break away!"

Dolph gave the speaker, no other than Ty Collins, a dark scowl, but he did not dare express what was passing in his mind.

So they left the logging camp. Lil Artha, who was recognized as the official photographer of the troop, managed to snap off several views that at future times would recall the picture of that memorable occasion, and doubtless give them the greatest of pleasure.

And Mark, who was really the grandson of a famous artist, and himself a genius with a brush and crayons, would, when the humor seized him, dash off some faithful sketches showing the passage of the eight boys through that woodchuck tunnel, and the surprise of Dolph at discovering them trailing across the floor of the shanty.

At first little Ruth walked bravely along, holding the hand of her cousin. But presently she disclosed signs of being weary, and Matt hastened to pick her up in his stout arms.

When half a mile had been passed over he showed that the burden was telling on him, for the way was rough. Thereupon one of the others insisted on having a chance to do the carrying.

By this time Ruth had become firmly convinced that all these boys were her best of friends, and she did not hesitate to clasp her chubby arms around the neck of Ty Collins, Matty Eggleston, Red Huggins, and even Lil Artha, as in succession they took charge of her.

The march was along the old dirt road that in the end must bring them to one where the walking would be better. Elmer conducted the campaign. He knew just how the land lay, for he had made it a part of his business to draw a map of the entire country around Hickory Ridge, from such sources as he could get hold of; and hence there was not the slightest danger of their getting lost in the timber.

He also sent out several of the boys to act in the capacity of skirmishers. They were to keep a bright lookout for any signs of the enemy, meaning the two tramps, and should they discover them, certain signals--the scream of the eagle, or the odd little bark of the beaver perhaps--would convey the intelligence to the main company, placing them on their guard.

But there was no such alarm. Evidently, just as the sagacious and observing Red had declared, Pete and his tall ally had hastened to get away with all speed, and for aught the boys knew might be running yet.

So in good time the expedition finally came to where the old logging road joined another, that seemed to lead toward the home town.

"How much further do we have to go now?" asked Toby, seeing Elmer examining his home-made map.

"A good five miles before us, but all over decent roads," smiled the leader.

"Oh, well, that ain't so much for scouts as seasoned as we are," remarked Toby, who had been limping for a little while, though he declared it was simply on account of having struck his toe against a root, and not because he was tired a single bit. "But if I had them wings of mine here now, p'raps I could take a little flap or two that'd help along. Reckon they're goin' to work, fellers. Anyhow, my parachute, she's just a hummer. I'm goin' to try her out right soon; might climb up on top the church steeple and jump, if they'll let me."

"Say, boys," remarked Red, just then, "it sure was a great shame the people that owned the old balloon we picked up when we were camping up on Lake Solitary claimed the gas bag, and insisted on paying us twenty-five dollars for saving their property. I'd like to wager that by now our inventive comrade here, Toby Ellsworth Jones, would have coaxed his ma to pay for having it filled with gas, and gone sailing off to the land of the moon, or somewhere."

"Oh! I had that all laid out," grinned Toby, "and I wasn't goin' to beg a single cent from my ma, either. Could 'a' caught all the hot air I needed by just grabbin' what was goin' to waste in this bunch when they got to disputin'. But I ain't cast down a bit, fellers. Plenty more chances for a really bright genius to make his mark in the world of science. If I live, the name of Jones will go thundering down the ages. Since the days of John Paul in Revolutionary times, not a single Jones has done anything worth mentionin'. But the time's near at hand when you'll hear somethin' drop!"

"Huh! that'll be you, then, Toby," chuckled Red, "if you try to jump off a church steeple with your old wings on. And I reckon there'll be something of a splash, too! Better go slow, that's what."

Talking in this vein, and joking with one another, the scouts managed to put the long miles behind them. Nearly every fellow had had a chance to carry little Ruth more or less, and seemed only too proud of the opportunity.

"I c'n see the church spire!" shouted Phil Dale, finally.

"He's right, boys," remarked Elmer, who had seen the same thing, off and on, for the last five minutes, though waiting to discover whether any of the others would pick it up. "We're going to be home soon now. Here comes a car after us, and as sure as anything, it's got the Hickory Ridge police force in it! Line up along the road, boys, and watch how they stare."

When those in the car saw little Ruth among the scouts, and also noted that they had the kidnaper, Dolph, in custody, they gave the boys a hearty cheer. Some of them wanted to take the child in the car, but Elmer declined to allow it.

"We've done all the work, and we ought to be on hand when the girl is given over to her mother," he said. "That's all the reward we want for our day's labor, and say, we've had just a dandy time, haven't we, fellows?"

A roar answered him, every scout taking off his hat, and waving it as he gave vent to three lusty cheers. Seeing the justice of this claim, those in the car declared they would fall in behind. It was known that Mrs. Gruber had remained in her little cottage home, so toward that quarter the procession started.

And when they saw the great joy that filled that poor mother's heart as she clasped her darling girl in her arms, every scout felt amply repaid for what fatigue he had endured that day. It was well worth the labor. And besides, had they not learned many things in the way of woodcraft that were apt to be useful, and make them better scouts?

Elmer was a proud boy when the mother of little Ruth took his hand and squeezed it between both of her own, while she poured out thanks for what he had done. He quickly assured her that every one of those with him deserved just as much praise, and then laughed to see how confused some of the fellows looked when the happy and grateful mother went the rounds, actually kissing every fellow, just as if they might be her own boys!

Matt Tubbs came over to him just as the scouts were drawing together, with the idea of returning to town, having had all the hike they desired for that one particular day.

"Oh! by the way, Matt," said Elmer with a twinkle in his eye, "the first time you're in Hickory Ridge, just stop off at my house, won't you? I think I've got a cap of yours, a gray one, with a little red button in the front."

Matt turned slightly red himself, and then laughed.

"Say, I acknowledge the corn, Elmer," he remarked. "I was in that old shop, all right, listenin' to what you fellers said. Just wanted to know how you ran things so's I could foller suit. Picked up a heap, too, you bet. But the blamed old loft was so rotten she just went through, and let me down with a whoop. Some of your scouts nigh got a grip on me when I run away. But they ain't goin' to ketch Matt Tubbs asleep any more'n they will a weasel. No harm done, Elmer, was there?"

"Not a bit, Matt," replied the young scout master, heartily. "Glad you heard all you did, and if we can help you organize a troop over in Fairfield, just you call on the Hickory Ridge scouts. Hear that, Matt?"

The bully of Fairfield looked steadily at the leader of the Wolf Patrol; then he laughed a little as he replied:

"Mebbe I will, Elmer, for you've sure got me guessing some; mebbe I will!"

That Matt Tubbs was as good as his word about getting up a troop of scouts in Fairfield, and what interesting events were bound to occur in the natural rivalry between the two organizations, will be recorded in the future volumes of this series, the next one of which will be called "The Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts Pathfinder."

THE END.

ADDENDA

BOY SCOUT NATURE LORE

BOY SCOUT NATURE LORE TO BE FOUND IN THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUT SERIES.

Wild Animals of the United States } } in Number I. Tracking } THE CAMPFIRES OF THE WOLF PATROL.

Trees and Wild Flowers of the United States in Number II. WOODCRAFT, OR HOW A PATROL LEADER MADE GOOD.

Reptiles of the United States in Number III. PATHFINDER, OR THE MISSING TENDERFOOT.

Fishes of the United States in Number IV. FAST NINE, OR A CHALLENGE FROM FAIRFIELD.

Insects of the United States in Number V. GREAT HIKE, OR THE PRIDE OF THE KHAKI TROOP.

Birds of the United States in Number VI. ENDURANCE TEST, OR HOW CLEAR GRIT WON THE DAY.

THE TREES OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE WITCH HAZEL FAMILY.

The Witch Hazel is a little tree or shrub of striking growth that, when all its neighbors are getting ready for their long winter nap, bursts out in full bloom with clusters of stringy yellow flowers, at the same time bearing the ripened seed pods of last year's blossoms. The seeds have a peculiar way of popping from the pods. Take some home with you in the late fall and see what happens. As soon as the pods feel the warmth of the room they burst and shoot out the seeds. It is said that the Indians used the bark of the witch hazel in treating inflammation, and it is still popularly believed to contain healing virtue.

The Sweetgum or Liquidambar is a tree that grows widely over the United States. Its leaves are star-shaped and not unlike the leaves of the maple. The coloring of the Liquidambar in the fall is very beautiful. Its fruit is a peculiar little spiny ball. The gum was used by the Indians to sweeten their smoking mixtures. In some sections it is called the Alligator Tree because of the peculiarity of the bark.

THE DOGWOOD FAMILY.

The Flowering Dogwood is the most beautiful sight of our May woodlands. The wood of this tree is very hard. Nobody seems to know how it received its common name. It is covered with clusters of red berries in the fall and at that time its leaves turn a bright red.

THE OLIVE FAMILY.

To this family belong the Ash trees, so called on account of the appearance of the under-surface of their leaves. There is a superstition that the ash tree is peculiarly likely to be struck by lightning. Its wood is largely used because of its lightness and elasticity; such articles as the handles of tools, oars, and carriage shafts are made of ash wood. White ash sometimes grows very tall; the black ash favors rivers and swamp-land and is not of such a sturdy growth as the white. The fruit of both form in clusters.

THE BIGNONIA FAMILY.

The Catalpa in June or July is covered with white blossoms mottled with yellow and purple. It is often called "The Bean Tree" because its fruit is like a long bean in form. These beans hang on a tree nearly all winter.

THE OAK FAMILY.

This is one of the handsomest of our tree families. The common white oak grows to a height of eighty to one hundred feet, the trunk often reaching a diameter of four feet. The leaves of the chestnut oak and those of the yellow oak resemble the leaves of the chestnut tree. The acorns of the red oak are very large, but the kernels are so bitter that the squirrels leave them untouched upon the ground. The leaves of the scarlet oak are very finely cut and assume brilliant colors in the late fall. There are many other varieties of oaks: straggling little scrub oaks, laurel oaks with laurel-like leaves, and the willow oaks of the Southwestern states.

THE BEECH FAMILY.

The Indians believed that the beech tree was lightning-proof, and many farmers seem to favor this belief. The Chestnut, which belongs in this group, does not flower until the middle of the summer. Unfortunately for the latter tree, a disease is spreading through certain districts that, if not checked, bids fair to exterminate these trees. Already in certain parts of the country where chestnuts formerly abounded hardly a living specimen is to be found, or if alive, is in a dying condition.

THE ELM FAMILY.

This is a family of beautiful trees, widely distributed. The white elm is one of the first trees to respond to spring's first warm days. Its tiny flower buds burst their scales and shed them to the ground. It is without question one of the most beautifully shaped trees, and many reach vast proportions. The Slippery Elm is similar in appearance to the white elm. The bark of the latter tree is soaked in water and drunk for throat affections. The leaves of the elms turn yellow in the fall. Their wood is largely used for carriage shafts or wherever wood that does not readily split is needed. It is durable under water, and is, therefore, used for docks and piles.

THE LINDEN FAMILY.

These are known in this country as basswood or white-wood; in Europe they are called Lime Trees. Their leaves are heart-shaped and the lower surface is downy. The bees are attracted to these trees when they are in bloom. They can easily be recognized in winter by their red buds. The first leaves of spring are a bright green which contrast beautifully with these buds. The wood is used for cabinet work, woodenware and paper pulp. It does not easily warp.

THE MAGNOLIA FAMILY.

This is a group of trees whose flowers are usually large and white, green, or pink in color. Some of this family are cultivated as ornamental trees on lawns. The Swamp Magnolia, or Sweet Bay, grows in swampy and damp places. Although specially a southern tree, it is found as far north as Massachusetts. It blooms in June, having a cream-color fragrant flower, and these blossoms are sold by florists and street pedlars.

Tulip Tree or Yellow Poplar is a large tree of this family that blooms especially abundantly upon the southern shores of Lake Erie. It has greenish-yellow, tulip-shaped flowers. The Indians made their dugout canoes from these trees.

THE MAPLE FAMILY.

There are more than one hundred species of this family. Maples are especially abundant in North America. The Sugar Maple grows in eastern North America. From its sap is manufactured maple sugar. The method of making this sugar was learned by the American colonists from the Indians. In the early spring, when this sap begins to flow, and while it is flowing, the trees are tapped, the sap gathered and boiled down. Certain varieties of maple-wood have beautifully spotted grain known as Bird's-eye Maple. This grain, it is claimed, is produced by wounds made by woodpeckers. This wood is prized for the manufacture of furniture. The Red Maple is found growing along the edges of streams. It is covered in the spring with tufts of crimson flowers and its foliage is a brilliant red in the autumn. The leaves of the Silver Maple show no reds in the fall, but are a uniform yellow. The Canadians have adopted the maple leaf as their national emblem.

THE HORSE CHESTNUT FAMILY.

The Horse Chestnut is a native of Asia. In May or June it is covered with upright spikes of white blossoms. The Buck-eye is the native Horse Chestnut. The leaves of the Buck-eye are five-fingered, while those of the tree commonly called the Horse Chestnut are seven-fingered. Ohio is called the "Buck-eye" state and is named after this tree.

THE MULBERRY FAMILY.

The leaves of the mulberry are broad, the flowers small. The leaves of the white mulberry are the food of silkworms. The Indian women used the fiber of the mulberry to make garments, baskets, and matting; the Japanese and Chinese manufactured paper from its bark. The red mulberry is quite common and grows in over two-thirds of the United States. The fruit is similar in appearance to the blackberry; the white mulberry is less widely distributed. The osage orange, or bow-wood, which is a member of this family, grows in Arkansas, Texas, and Indian Territory. Its fruit resembles the orange in shape and size; its leaves are shiny and it is close and spiny in growth.

THE PLANE TREE FAMILY.

The common Plane is another tree from the Orient; the flowers are green, the fruit are yellow balls which hang on the tree over winter. It grows in rich, moist lands; the wood, which is ruddy in color, is used extensively in the manufacture of cigar boxes. It is also called the sycamore or buttonwood, and is easily distinguished by its bark, which it sheds as it does the leaves; the bark drops off in large irregular pieces, giving the tree a mottled appearance.

THE WALNUT FAMILY.

The Black Walnut is abundant in the Mississippi Valley states, especially the Middle states. The White Walnut is the Butternut; the covering of the nut is sticky and gummy.

The Hickory, which belongs to this family, is an American tree; none of the hickories are found abroad. The Bitternut, or Swamp Hickory, has a kernel which is very bitter. The bark of the Shell-bark Hickory separates and gives the trunk of the tree a very shaggy, unkempt appearance. The Pignut is a Hickory, but is worthless as food. The wood of the walnut was formerly much used for the manufacture of furniture.

THE BIRCH FAMILY.

This is an interesting family of graceful trees. The white birch, which is the least common, is short-lived. It grows from the St. Lawrence southward to Delaware. The leaves have a peculiar trembling characteristic. The Paper Birch is also called the white birch or canoe birch. It is fond of moist places. Its bark is white outside and composed of thin layers easily separated; these layers vary in color from a cream to a bright orange-yellow. The Indians used the bark of this tree for their canoes and to write their messages on. The red birches are great lovers of water, particularly delighting to hang their boughs over running streams. The alders and ironwoods belong here.

THE WILLOW FAMILY.

This is a large tree family; the black willow may be found growing upon the banks of streams and lakes. In the early spring days we gather pussy willows. They are really the flower buds. Put them in water and watch the catkins, as the flowers are called, develop. The Weeping Willow is a native of Asia; it grew near ancient Babylon. You will remember that the Bible tells us that the people of Israel hung their harps upon the willow tree by the waters of Babylon. They are trees of rapid growth, as are also the aspens and cottonwoods. The last-named trees derive their name from the peculiarity of the seed, which is surrounded by cotton-like fiber. The leaves of the aspen tremble even on calm days and have given rise to the saying, "trembling like an aspen leaf." An old tradition says that the leaves of this tree are never at rest because aspen wood was used in making the cross.

THE SUMACH FAMILY.

One of this family is poisonous and is known as poison sumach. It grows throughout the Northern states and can be distinguished from the harmless sumach by its white fruit, the color of the fruit of other sumachs being red, and the fact that it likes wet ground, while its harmless cousins like dry places. To some persons the action of the sumach poison is virulent, causing painful itching eruptions similar to those caused by poison ivy.

THE PEA FAMILY.

The Locust is a tall tree, native to this country, flowering profusely in May and June, being at that time nearly covered with long, hanging clusters of fragrant white blossoms. A small tree, called the Red Bud, or Judas Tree, belongs to this family. It is often used as ornamental trees in parks and on lawns. In Arkansas it grows in native abundance. The flowers, which are a deep rose color, appear in April or May, about the time that the young leaves are putting in an appearance. They are borne all over the tree, even on the trunk itself. The Honey Locust has large, finer foliage than the common locust and it is armored and protected by a multitude of sharp thorns. The locust wood is much used in ship-building and fence posts because it resists decay in contact with moisture. It is very strong, hard, and takes a high polish. These trees are now preyed upon by boring insects and are not as popular as they were formerly.

THE ROSE FAMILY.

What boy of the New England or the Middle states does not know the Choke Cherry or Wild Cherry and its fruit that he gathers and eats, although it puckers his mouth? Did you know that these, as well as our cultivated cherries, apples, pears, quinces, and plums, all belong to the same flower family that gives us our roses? The Mountain Ash also belongs to this family. Red Ash Berries help to brighten up the autumn and winter; in fact, these trees are so attractive when in fruit that they are being largely used for decorative purposes. In Europe they are called the Rowan Trees, and many peculiar tales and superstitions have gathered around them.

THE PINE FAMILY.

The pines of the United States include many species, most of which are valuable for their timber. The White Pine, which attains a great height and favors sandy soil, heads the list. Its bark is smoother than any other pine and its cones are long and slender. Its wood is soft, compact, and valuable. The wood of the Yellow Pine is hard and heavy, darker in tone, and much favored for flooring. It does not grow to such a height as the white pine; it is found throughout the Southern states. The Red Pine, or Norway Pine, favors Canada more than our country. The Pitch Pine grows in sandy and rocky soil or in the cold, swampy lands. The Jersey, or Scrub Pine, grows on sandy soil.

The Spruces have brighter leaves than the pines and the leaves are not grouped like the pine leaves. The leaves are borne on drooping branches; the cones are pendent; the white spruce grows higher than any other spruce. The cones of the red spruce are large; the resin of both the red and black spruces are used as chewing gum.

The Hemlock is one of the most graceful of cone-bearing trees. The hemlocks grow rapidly and become very rugged and picturesque. Hemlock wood warps when exposed; its bark is used in tanning. The leaves of the balsam are a bright green color above and a silver green color below. They are dried and made into pillows because of their fragrance. Arborvitae, or White Hemlock, is cultivated as an ornamental tree. It is much used for hedges.

THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE UNITED STATES

THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE SPRING FLOWERS--_White._

Go into the woods some day early in April and you will find, pushing up through the last summer's litter, a curled-up leaf. Open this leaf and nestling within will be a white flower bud. Even when in bloom the leaf surrounds the flower stem as though to protect it. As you pick the flower a red juice oozes out of the stem and stains your hands. This is the blood root and the Indians used its juice to stain their faces. Just beyond it, bending and nodding in the wind, is the dainty little anemone; there is sometimes a hint of pink or lavender in its white flowers.

Among the rocks you will find, swinging, the little Dutchman's Breeches, with their peculiar little flowers that look like pairs of trousers hung on a line. Growing with it will be the saxifrage, whose name means that it breaks rocks. This name was probably given to it because it is usually found growing in the clefts of rocks. As spring advances, the woods are dotted with bright little star flowers and the unpleasantly odorous May apple and the white Trillium with its three long petals. The feathery baneberry is in flower when the columbine blooms and when the green-and-brown Jacks-in-the-Pulpit are preaching in the woods. The Jack-in-the-Pulpit in shape is not unlike a calla lily.

Other white flowers of spring are the shad bush that blooms "when the shad run." Its red berries ripen in June.

Pyxie or Flowering Moss--sandy woods.

Crinkle Root--May woods.

THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Yellow._

If you will go down into the swampy meadowland you will find the bright, sturdy marsh marigolds, and in the wet woods adjoining the spice bushes glowing with their fussy little yellow blossoms, and alongside the brook the dog-toothed violet or yellow adder's tongue, rearing their mottled leaves and nodding their yellow blossoms. These are not violets at all, by the way, but lilies. In the May woods are the red and yellow flowers of the Wood Betony and the bell-shaped flowers of Solomon's Seal. Pull up the Solomon's Seal root and see the marks on it that look like the impression of a seal. That is how it received its name, although why "Solomon's Seal" we are unable to answer. Bellwort is a little yellowish lily common in the May woods.

Other yellow spring flowers:

Coltsfoot--Stream banks in May.

Celandine Poppy--Woods and hills.

Corydalis--Dry stony woodland.

Moosewood--Wet woods.

THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Pink._

In company with the blood root and dog-toothed violets and the dainty anemones are the pretty little pink-veined Spring Beauties, with their slender leaves and graceful stems. Lucky are you if you chance to live where the trailing arbutus grows, with its deliciously perfumed waxy flowers under last summer's dead leaves. The New Englanders call it the May Flower. The attractive blossoms of the Rhodora brighten the woods with their splendor. This is a wild Rhododendron and belongs to the same family as the wild honeysuckle that blossoms in the moist places in May.

Other pink spring flowers:

Showy Orchis--May woods.

Wild Pink--Rocky edges of woods.

THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Red._

Heading this list comes the Columbine, and if you will gather this flower you must be prepared to climb, for it is fond of nooks and crannies difficult to reach. Starting up from three broad leaves the little flower of the Wake Robin thrusts itself upon our attention; it is not shy or retiring like the arbutus or the timid little blushing Spring Beauty.

THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Blue and Purple._

First of the blues comes the fuzzy-stemmed and fuzzy-budded hepatica, which is known also by the ugly name of "liverwort." Sometimes the flowers fade to a white, sometimes to a pinkish lavender. The one symbol of springtime is the violet. When the violet comes we know that winter has gone for good. The wild geranium or cranebill grows and blossoms sturdily when the anemones and Spring Beauties are getting scarce.

Other blue and purple spring flowers:

Bluets or Quaker Ladies--Meadows and roadsides.

Larkspur--Not found east of Pennsylvania.

Cancer Root--Wet woods.

EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_White._

Early in June you will see in the woods and fields a shrub that looks like a young maple tree blooming abundantly with clusters of white flowers. It is the Dockmackie, or the Maple-leaved Viburnum. If you live on the hills of the Hudson or Pennsylvania you will have the opportunity yearly of seeing the Mountain Laurel in flower, a shrub that is cultivated and highly esteemed in England. The stamens of the flowers are caught in little pockets, and as the insect alights on these they are loosened and fly upward, shaking the pollen on to the body of the insect.

Blooming in the same location may be found the Wild Rhododendron, which belongs to the same family as the Mountain Laurel.

Another member of this family is the Swamp Honeysuckle or the Clammy Azalea; both of these are shrubs. The latter is usually found among the swampy coast lands.

Still another member of this heath family, to which the Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron belong, is the Little Shin Leaf, with its Lily-of-the-Valley-like flowers. Growing alongside of it you are very likely to find the Pipsissewa, with its beautiful perfume and ever-green leaves. June is the month when the meadows are whitened by the daisies.

Other early summer white flowers:

Wood Sorrel--June woods.

Sweet Cicely--Sweet-tasting root.

Marsh Andromeda--Swampy places.

Staggerbush--Low dry places.

EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Yellow._

In May or June hunt for the Yellow Lady Slipper or Whip-poor-Will's Shoe, a pretty little yellow Orchid. Mr. Baldwin, writing of orchids of New England, says: "Its preference is for maples, beeches, and particularly butternuts, and for sloping or hilly ground, and I always look with glad suspicion at a knoll covered with ferns, cohoshes, and trilliums, expecting to see a clump of this plant among them. Its sentinel-like habit of choosing 'sightly places' leads it to venture well up on mountain-sides."

The straggly flower heads of the Hawk Weed, or Rattlesnake Weed, that looks like little Dandelions, will be found in the dry pine woods at this time of the year. Its leaves are veined with purple and thought to resemble the markings of the rattlesnake. This has given it its name.

We need no introduction to the common dandelion that carpets our lawns with a cloth of gold, much to the disgust of the gardener, who roots them out as weeds.

Another flower of the waste places is a pretty little toad flax, or butter-and-eggs. It is probably called "butter-and-eggs" because of the two shades of yellow. Its juice, mixed with milk, makes a good fly poison.

In the same localities may be found the St. John's Wort, with its numerous little flowers, and both the moth mullein and common mullein. The old Romans used to dip the dry stalk of the common mullein in fat and use it as a torch. The moth mullein is tenderer than the common mullein. The flowers are tipped with red and purple.

Other early summer yellow flowers:

Cinquefoil--Fields and roadsides.

Bush Honeysuckle--Hillsides.

Four-leaved Loosestrife--Roadsides.

Yellow Loosestrife--Wet places.

EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Pink._

The Pink Lady Slipper, like the Yellow, is another orchid. Baldwin, to whom we have referred before, tells us where he usually found them; he says: "The finest specimens I ever saw sprang out of a cushion of crisp reindeer moss high up among the rocks of the exposed hillside, and again I have found it growing vigorously in hills upon swamps, but nearly colorless from excessive moisture." He further says that "A lady who has found it in the Adirondacks says she found it to have a great fondness for decaying wood and often saw a whole row perched like birds along a crumbling log."

A smaller laurel with dark pink flowers blooms in June. It is called "Lamb-killer," because of the belief that it is poisonous to sheep.

Corydalis--Rocky woods.

Adder's Mouth--Swamps.

EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Red._

Thoreau writes: "The Painted Cup is in its prime. It reddens the meadow, painted cup meadow. It is a splendid show of brilliant scarlet, the color of the cardinal flower and surpasses it in mass and profusion. I do not like the name; it does not remind me of a cup, rather of a flame when it first appears. It might be called 'flame flower' or 'scarlet tip.' Here is a large meadow full of it, and very few in the town have ever seen it. It is startling to see a leaf thus brilliantly painted, as if its tip were dipped into some scarlet mixture, surpassing most flowers in intensity of color."

EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Blue and Purple._

The Blue-eye Grass, which belongs to the same family as the Blue Flag, carpets the moist meadows at this season of the year. The Blue Flag and Fleur-de-lis is the flower of France; the name "Fleur-de-lis," the flower of Louis, King Louis VII having chosen it as his particular badge. Look for it in damp meadow grounds in June.

Early in June the wild lupine blooms, painting the hillside blue.

SUMMER--_White._

If you go into the woods where the evergreens grow in July you will find the Little Wintergreen in bloom. Later in the year you will find the little red Wintergreen berries. Along the roadside you will find the daisy-like flowers of the Chamomile or May Weed. From the leaves of this plant our grandmothers used to make Chamomile tea.

A shrub that you will find in bloom in the July woods is the New Jersey Tea, with its clusters of feathery flowers. At the time of the American Revolution our forefathers used its leaves to make a substitute for the imported tea on which Great Britain imposed a tax.

Another flower of the summer woods and hillsides is the Cohosh, with a stem from three to eight feet high. Its odor is supposed to be distasteful to insects. The Elders are a mass of white blossoms at this time of the year, and later crowned with purplish berries from which elderberry wine is made.

A common plant of the July roadsides is the Pokeweed. Its flowers are less conspicuous than its fruit. It has long clusters of dark berries. Country boys make "ink" from the juice of these berries.

The Boneset is another wayside flower. Our grandmothers made boneset tea from its leaves when we were in danger of colds or malaria. Its flowers are dull white; it belongs to the same family as the Golden-rod.

Other summer white flowers:

Thimbleweed--Woods and meadows.

White Avens--Edges of woods.

Wild Cucumber--Along river banks.

Yarrow--Roadsides.

No article on wild flowers of the United States would be complete without mention of "Queen Anne's Lace," while some call it "Bird's Nest," from the habit of the curling up of the old flowers into a nest-like shape.

SUMMER--_Yellow._

One of the most conspicuous yellow flowers is the Meadow Lily, or the Wild Yellow Lily.

The St. John's Wort is a common flower of this season of the year. It seems to flourish in the waste places, while both the moth mullein and the common mullein are close companions.

When the white daisies are beginning to wane, the yellow daisies or Black-eyed Susans begin to bloom. The Jewel Weed is also called by some "Touch-me-Not," on account of the few seed pods, which burst when touched, showing the seeds.

At twilight and in the early morning the Evening Primrose opens its dull yellow blossoms. During the middle of the day the flowers are closed.

Other summer yellow flowers:

Yellow Clover--Fields and roadsides.

Bladderwort--Ponds and streams.

Partridge Pea--Sandy Soil.

SUMMER--_Pink._

Probably the foremost among these is the Common Milkweed, with its dull pink clustered flowers that later turn into a pod filled with silky fibers, which the children love to break open and set afloat in the wind. It is called "Milkweed" on account of the white sticky fluid which it exhumes from the broken stems.

Along the roadside and meadows purplish-pink flowers of the Fireweed are in bloom.

One of the most beautiful of the pink midsummer flowers is the Mallow that makes lively our swamps with its large pale pink flowers.

Other summer pink flowers:

Steeplebush--Low places.

Purple Loosestrife--Marshes.

Meadow Beauty--Sandy soil.

Tick Trefoil--Midsummer woods.

SUMMER--_Red._

Two lilies of midsummer are the Wild Lily and the Turk's Cap Lily; the Turk's Cap Lily, with its drooping flowers, and the Wild Lily, with its upright flowers, that grow in our meadows, the Wild Lily in the shady woods.

Here and there in the midsummer fields is a patch of the bright flame-color orange-red Butterfly Weed. This belongs to the Milkweed family. They present to the eye some of the most vivid patches of color of the summer fields.

SUMMER--_Blue and Purple._

Growing in the waste places from June until September are the closed heads of the "Self Heal," with its bluish-purple flowers and the spikes of the dainty little vervain.

Blooming in midsummer is the aromatic little Pennyroyal, one of the mint family.

LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Yellow._

Without doubt the one flower that holds the foremost rank of the late summer and autumn flowers is the Golden-rod.

The Wild Sunflower and the Bur Marigold, or "Stick-tight," belong to the same family as the Golden-rod, the Composite Family.

Witch-hazel Shrubs are now coming into bloom, blooming when everything else is getting ready for the winter nap.

Other late summer yellow flowers:

False Foxgloves--Dry woodland.

Yellow Thistle--Sandy coast soil.

LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_White._

The Rattlesnake Plantain has peculiar leaves veined with white. The Indians believed that application of the leaves of this plant would cure a snake bite.

One of the shrubs that blooms at this season of the year is the Sweet Pepperbush, which is becoming popular as a cultivated shrub in our gardens and lawns. It seems to bloom best in those localities where there is considerable moisture in the atmosphere.

The dry fields are now thickly covered with the white asters.

Other late summer white flowers:

Ladies' Tresses--Wet places in autumn.

Pearly Everlasting--Woods and fields.

LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Pink._

A common roadside flower is the Pink Knotweed, with its branching stems and groups of bright pink flowers.

The Bouncing Bet is now growing sturdily, with its pinkish-white flowers, and close to the Butterfly Weed blooms the "Joe Pye Weed," with its dusky purplish-pink clusters, while the Golden-rod and Asters are in flower.

Other late summer pink flowers:

Purple Gerardia--Low dry ground.

False Dragon Head--Wet fields.

LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Red._

In the late summer, along the edges of ponds and streams and in the midst of swamps, gleam the bright, ragged flowers of the Cardinal flower, the brightest red flower of early autumn.

LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Blue and Purple._

The Blue Chicory or Succory brightens up our roadsides in late summer when the fields are full of blue and purple Asters. There are over one hundred different species of wild Asters, all belonging to the Composite Family, the same family that the Golden-rod, Daisies, and Sunflowers are members of. The Composite Family, in fact, is in majority at this season of the year.

Both the closed and fringed Gentian come to us in late September, with their beautiful blue flowers--blue of a beautiful shade.

Other late summer flowers--blue and purple:

Blazing Star--Marsh land.

Iron Weed--Roadsides and fields.

INDEX

PAGE

Adder's Mouth, 174

Alder, 158

Alligator Tree, 149

Anemones, 166, 169, 171

Apples, 160

Arborvitae, 161

Arbutus, 169, 171

Ash, 150 Mountain Black, 160 White, 150

Aspen, 159

Asters, 179, 180, 181

Avens, White, 175

Azaleas, Clammy, 172

Balsam, 161

Baneberry, 166

Basswood, 153

Bay, Sweet, 153

Beech, 152

Betony, Wood, 168

Bellwort, 169

Bignonia Family, 150

Birch, 158 Paper, 158 Red, 158 White, 158

Bird's Nest, 175

Bitternut, 158

Black-eyed Susans, 176

Black Ash, 150

Black Spruce, 161

Black Walnut, 156

Black Willow, 158

Bladderwort, 176

Blazing Star, 181

Bloodroot, 165

Blue-eyed Grass, 174

Blue Flag, 174

Bluets, 171

Boneset, 175

Bouncing Bet, 180

Bow-wood, 156

Buck-eye, 155

Bur Marigold, 179

Bush Honeysuckle, 173

Butter-and-Eggs, 173

Butterfly Weed, 178, 180

Butternut, 157

Buttonwood, 156

Cancer Root, 171

Cardinal Flower, 174, 181

Catalpa, 150

Celandine Poppy, 169

Chamomile, 175

Cherry, Choke, 160 Wild, 160

Chestnut, 152 Horse, 155

Chestnut Oak, 150

Chicory, 181

Chokecherry, 160

Cinquefoil, 173

Clammy Azaleas, 172

Closed Gentian, 181

Clover, Yellow, 176

Cohosh, 175

Coltsfoot, 169

Columbine, 166, 169, 170

Corydalis, 169, 174

Cottonwood, 159

Cranebill, 171

Crinkle Root, 166

Daisies, 176 Yellow, 176

Dandelion, 172, 173

Dockmackie, 171

Dog-Tooth Violets, 168, 169

Dogwood, 149

Dutchman's Breeches, 166

Elderberries, 175

Elm, 152, 153 Slippery, 153 White, 153

Evening Primrose, 176

False Dragon Head, 181

False Foxgloves, 179

Fireweed, 176

Flag, Blue, 174

Fleur-de-lis, 174

Flowering Moss, 166

Four-Leaved Loosestrife, 173

Foxgloves, False, 179

Fringed Gentian, 181

Gentian, 181 Closed, 181 Fringed, 181

Geranium, Wild, 171

Gerardia, 181

Golden-rod, 175, 178, 180

Hawk Weed, 172

Hemlock, 161 White, 161

Hepatica, 171

Hickory, 157 Shell-bark, 157, 158 Swamp, 158

Honey Locust, 159

Honeysuckle, Bush, 173 Swamp, 172 Wild, 169

Horse Chestnuts, 155

Iron Weed, 181

Ironwood, 158

Jack-in-the-Pulpit, 166

Jewel Weed, 176

Joe-Pye Weed, 180

Judas Tree, 159

Knotweed, 179, 180

Ladies' Tresses, 179

Lady's Slipper, Pink, 173 Yellow, 172, 173

Lamb-killer, 174

Larkspur, 171

Laurel Oaks, 151

Laurel, Mountain, 171, 172

Lily, Meadow, 176, 177

Lily, Turk's Cap, 178

Lily, Wild, 178 Wild Yellow, 176

Lime Tree, 153

Linden, 153

Liquidambar, 149

Liverwort, 171

Locust, 159 Honey, 159

Loosestrife, Four-Leaved, 173 Purple, 178 Yellow, 173

Lupine, 174 Wild, 174

Magnolia, 153 Swamp, 153

Mallow, 178

Maple, 154, 155 Red, 155 Silver, 155 Sugar, 155

Maple-Leaved Viburnum, 171

Marigold, Bur, 179

Marigolds, Marsh, 166

Marsh Andromeda, 172

Marsh Marigolds, 166

May Apple, 166

May Flower, 169

May Weed, 175

Meadow Beauty, 178

Meadow Lily, 176, 177

Milkweed, 176, 178

Moosewood, 169

Moth Mullein, 173, 176

Mountain Ash, 160

Mountain Laurel, 171, 172

Mulberry, Red, 156 White, 156

Mullein, Common, 173, 176 Moth, 173, 176

New Jersey Tea, 175

Norway Pine, 160

Oak, 150 Chestnut, 150 Laurel, 151 Red, 150 Scarlet, 151 Scrub, 151 White, 150, 151 Willow, 151 Yellow, 150

Olive, 150

Orchis, Showy, 169

Osage Orange, 156

Painted Cup, 174

Paper Birch, 158

Partridge Pea, 176

Pea Family, 159

Pearly Everlasting, 179

Pears, 160

Pennyroyal, 178

Pignut, 158

Pine, 160 Norway, 160 Pitch, 160 Red, 160 Scrub, 161 White, 160 Yellow, 160

Pink Knotweed, 179, 180 Wild, 169

Pink Lady's Slipper, 173

Pipsissewa, 172

Pitch Pine, 160

Plane Tree Family, 156

Plantain, Rattlesnake, 179

Plums, 160

Poison Sumach, 159

Pokeweed, 175

Poplar, Yellow, 155

Poplar Tree, 155

Poppy, Celandine, 169

Primrose, Evening, 176

Purple Loosestrife, 178

Pussy Willow, 158

Pyxie, 166

Quaker Ladies, 171

Queen Anne's Lace, 175

Rattlesnake Plantain, 179

Rattlesnake Weed, 172

Red Birch, 158

Red Bud, 159

Red Maple, 155

Red Mulberry, 156

Red Oak, 150

Red Pine, 160

Red Spruce, 161

Rhododendron, 169, 172 Wild, 169, 171

Rhodora, 169

Rose Family, 160

Rowan Trees, 160

St John's Wort, 173, 176

Saxifrage, 166

Scarlet Oak, 151

Scrub Oak, 151

Scrub Pine, 161

Self Heal, 178

Shad Bush, 166

Shell-bark Hickory, 157, 158

Shin Leaf, 172

Showy Orchis, 169

Silver Maple, 155

Slippery Elm, 153

Solomon's Seal, 168

Sorrel, Wood, 172

Spice Bush, 166

Spring Beauty, 169, 171

Spruce, 161 Black, 161 Red, 161 White, 161

Staggerbush, 172

Star Flowers, 166

Steeplebush, 178

Stick-tight, 179

Succory, 181

Sugar Maple, 155

Sumach, 159 Poison, 159

Sunflower, Wild, 179

Swamp Hickory, 158 Honeysuckle, 172 Magnolia, 153

Sweet Bay, 153

Sweet Cicely, 172

Sweetgum, 149

Sweet Pepperbush, 179

Sycamore, 156

Thimble Weed, 175

Thistle, Yellow, 179

Tick Trefoil, 178

Toad Flax, 173

Touch-me-Not, 176

Trees of the United States, 149

Trilliums, 166, 167

Tulip Tree, 155

Turk's Cap Lily, 178

Viburnum, Maple-Leaved, 171

Violet, 168, 169, 171 Dog-tooth, 168, 169

Wake Robin, 169

Walnut, 156, 158 Black, 156 White, 156

Weeping Willow, 158

Whip-poor-Will's Shoe, 172

White Ash, 150

White Avens, 175

White Birch, 158

White Elm, 153

White Hemlock, 161

White Mulberry, 156

White Oak, 150, 151

White Pine, 160

White Spruce, 161

White Walnut, 156

White-wood, 153

Wild Cherry, 160

Wild Cucumber, 175

Wild Flowers of the United States, 165

Wild Geranium, 171

Wild Honeysuckle, 169

Wild Lily, 178

Wild Lupine, 174

Wild Pink, 169

Wild Rhododendron, 169, 171

Wild Sunflower, 179

Wild Yellow Lily, 176

Willow, 158 Black, 158 Pussy, 158 Weeping, 158

Willow Oak, 151

Witch-hazel Family, 149, 179

Wintergreen, 174

Wood Betony, 168

Wood Sorrel, 172

Yarrow, 175

Yellow Adder's Tongue, 168

Yellow Clover, 176

Yellow Daisies, 176

Yellow Lady's Slipper, 172, 173

Yellow Loosestrife, 173

Yellow Oak, 150

Yellow Pine, 160

Yellow Poplar, 155

Yellow Thistle, 179

THE Campfire and Trail Series

1. In Camp on the Big Sunflower. 2. The Rivals of the Trail. 3. The Strange Cabin on Catamount Island. 4. Lost in the Great Dismal Swamp. 5. With Trapper Jim in the North Woods. 6. Caught in a Forest Fire.

By LAWRENCE J. LESLIE

A series of wholesome stories for boys told in an interesting way and appealing to their love of the open.

_Each, 12mo. Cloth. 40 cents per volume_

THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY 147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK

* * * * *

Transcriber's Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired.

Text uses both scout master and scout-master.

Advertising page listing Hickory Ridge books, "Chenoweth" changed to "Chenowith" to match actual usage in books.

Page 57, "vamose" changed to "vamoose" (wanted to vamoose in a)

Page 92, "samee" changed to "same" (All the same)

Page 99, "more's" changed to "more'n" (a feller more'n a skinned)

Page 153, "drank" changed to "drunk" (drunk for throat)

Page 184, "Hawkweed" changed to "Hawk Weed" to match usage in text.

Page 187, "Whip-poor-will's" changed to "Whip-poor-Will's" to match usage in text.