The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-10-04
w SER ON
BY REV. T. J. SIMONS

was noticeable hat quite a number
OF the boys were becoming impa-
.ent OF the delay. Here was where
the wit OF an older head came In. To
the proposition. that we should walk
on and flag the train when II over
takes us a goodiy number agreed and
so all h scouts struck out up the
rail road track into Rapid Canyon.
After a little IL was noticed that four
of the party had loitered and were
out of sight Then the train whistled
and on the insistence of the whoie
bunch pretty much, the Scoutmaster
consented to flag the train on the
condition that they go on to Hisega
since II seemed a shame for Scouts
to flag a train to walk but two miles.
He also boarded the train with some
secret and some expressed satisfac-
ton in that the laggards were left be-
hind. But he needn't have as the Sc
quel will show.
AS did the ferryman so did the con-
'ductor. He gave the Scouts a half
rate and SO they did not feel so i'm
poverished in the prospects OF ice
cream and pop for the rest OF the
trip. They seemed also to have some
compensation for their fears of being
broke, in the incompatible scenery
along the way.
We lunched up the little canyon
out Of Hisega, making our tiny fires
in the road hat hugs the cliff on the
way out. Then the leader tried to
make II right with the boys by set
ting up the cones But the store was
out of them, and SO all had to con-
tent themselves with pop. Thas the
leader was only half set right. Now
comes the big event OF the day. I'VE
will all go up to the Big Hole now
boys" To be sure 1t was the Scout
master who said that and to be sure
the boys had brought along their
swimming suits, But they were In for
a surprise and a thrill. You should
have seer them go In inch by inch
and only for a few inches and then
retreat to dry ground. The ice cold
water was brolten in when a heartless
wretch showed an unsuspecting little
kid SO that he had to get wet or
drown. Wow what a shivering when
he struggled out. He was SO cold he
had no fight in him.
After a while they did get into tFe
game, but 1t took a lot of gameness
to stand up to 1t and swim II and
make It warm. An, now refreshing
are those mountain streams. The
S~coutmaster was content to go out
on the rail road track and FISH on
the bridge and wait until their ardor
was cooled so that they could go on
up to the Big Bend. 1t wasn't SO long
either Again only part consented to
go up. After spending the remainder
of the afternoon up the creek those
who had ~persevered concluded to re-
turn to Hisega and walt for the
train. When they arrived what a sur
prise was awaiting them! There
wera the four boys they had left down
near Rapid City. They had not only
walked to Black Canyon and explor-
d It, but all the way to Hisega, thir-
teen miles up from Rapid City. Well.
they were some game. And the Scout
master was secretly proud OF them,
although their former languor was
still a little ranking in his breast.
Ia scout is a scout after all. He made
Isl resolution to let them plan their
own trips on the rest Of the Journey
Let MS leave him with that, except TO
say that the four independents rode
down on his contract.