Árdís - 01.01.1963, Page 33

Ársrit Bandalags lúterskra kvenna
31
“This is the most important thing you’ve ever done. You have
to act like big boys, like boy scouts. I’m the Scout Master and I
send you on this mission. Hurry there, and hurry back.”
“Oh, boy,” Garry said, “like real scouts. We’ll do it.”
“Enter the forest where you, Garry, made the blaze in the
tall pine. Jim, watch the compass, go straight south. Get the rope,
then enter the woods where you blazed the tree by the big rock.
He watched the boys leave on the run.
Now Frank had all the boys to worry about. Thinking about
hauling Roy and Skipper up he realized he’d have to have firm
footing, else he might drop down through the turf and tangled
roots. The rope certainly would cut through. He must cut a canal
to solid ground.
“Roy,” Frank called, “what’s Skipper doing?”
“Nothin’, just sleeping.”
“That’s good. I’m going to cut some turf and make a lot of
noise. Lie down beside Skipper and cover his ear with your hand.”
Frank saw the boy lie down and cover the dog’s ear with a
hand. Skipper thumped the ground with his tail a few times.
Soon everything was quiet down there; the little boy had gone
to sleep.
Frank worked hurriedly hacking away at the dry turf and
roots until he had a canal to solid ground. He felt tired, his hands
were torn and bleeding, and smarted. He sat there watching the
tall tree, hoping to see the twins come out of the woods. But
there was no sign of them.
NOW THE sun was sitting on the tree tops; soon it would be
dark. In desperation Frank was on the point of going back to
the boathouse for the rope, and seeing whether the boys were
safe, when he saw them come out of the woods. He sprinted to
meet them, grabbed the hank of rope from Garry, and ran back.
The twins, unable to keep up with him, shouted at him to wait.
He ignored them.