The Scouts of Seal IslandWesterman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
General
The Scouts of Seal Island
Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
Adventure stories; Boy Scouts -- Juvenile fiction
"No, Peter Varco rowed Mr Trebarwith over, and he remained in the
boat. Why do you ask?" questioned Coventry major.
"Because we came across the spoor of a recent visitor in the Tea
Caves," replied Atherton, and at Mr Trematon's suggestion the lad
gave his companions of the "Wolves" and the two former guardians of
the camp a detailed report of what had occurred.
After tea, the Scoutmaster wrote a letter to the genial farmer,
accepting his invitation, and stating that he hoped to bring the
Scouts to Polkerwyck Farm to-morrow at nine-thirty. Mayne and Baker
were despatched to take the missive to Mr Trebarwith, while the
others were free to amuse themselves at camp games till half-past
seven, when the camp fire was lighted for the customary evening
palaver.
Just before sunset Mr Trematon called the Leaders and Seconds of both
patrols aside.
"Atherton and Simpson, I want you to take charge of the camp till I
return," he said. "Phillips and Neale will no doubt feel up to an
evening stroll. I have reason to revisit the cliff immediately above
the ledge leading to the Tea Caves."
As the Scoutmaster and the two Seconds passed by the ruined oratory,
Neale called attention to the wild yet beautiful sunset tints. There
were streaks of deep purple, orange, pale yellow and indigo in the
western sky, while rugged, dark grey clouds, tipped with
copper-coloured points, gave every indication that the bad weather
was at hand.
"Yes," assented Mr Trematon, "the colours are remarkable. What do you
say to a little experiment?"
"An experiment, sir?" asked Neale. "How?"
"Stand here, both of you, side by side," said the Scoutmaster. "Backs
to the sunset: that's right. Now stretch your legs wide apart, place
the palms of your hands together and bend forward till your
fingertips touch the ground."
The two Scouts promptly obeyed, wondering what was the reason for
this exaggerated "leap-frog" posture.
"Now look at the sunset," continued Mr Trematon.
"The colours are ever so much brighter," exclaimed both lads, who,
heads downwards, were observing the western sky between their
outstretched legs. "They look too bright to be real."
"All the same they are natural colours. Stand up now, or the
circulation of the blood towards your head will be obstructed. Yes,
it has a peculiar effect. An artist friend of mine gave me the tip.
By so doing one can see the vividness of an Italian sky in the
corresponding misty atmosphere of our native land. But we must be
moving."
Arriving at the edge of the cliff, Mr Trematon produced from his
pocket a reel of black cotton. Cutting three or four twigs from a
neighbouring bush, he set these in the ground so that they projected
four inches from the surface. Their exposed ends he connected up by a
length of cotton.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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