[Illustration: cover art]
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BLOSSOM. A FAIRY STORY
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THE SCOUTS OF SEAL ISLAND
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"They landed safely on the lee side of the stone pier."--_Page_ 132.
THE SCOUTS OF
SEAL ISLAND
BY
PERCY F. WESTERMAN
AUTHOR OF
"SEA SCOUTS OF THE PETREL'"
"THE SEA MONARCH" ETC.
_With eight Illustrations in Colour by_
ERNEST PRATER
A. & C. BLACK, LTD.
4, 5 AND 6 SOHO SQUARE, LONDON, W.1
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
_First Published in_ 1913
_This Edition published in_ 1922
_Reprinted in) 1922, 1923, 1925, 1930
CONTENTS
CHAP.
I. SIR SILAS DISAPPROVES
II. DICK ATHERTON'S GOOD TURN
III. THE PATROL LEADER'S DILEMMA
IV. OFF TO SEAL ISLAND
V. THE ARRIVAL
VI. A SPOILT BREAKFAST
VII. THE MYSTERIOUS FOOTPRINTS
VIII. THE MISSING THOLE-PINS
IX. AT THE LIGHTHOUSE
X. THE WRECK
XI. HOW CAME PAUL TASSH ON SEAL ISLAND?
XII. THE BURGLARY
XIII. FLIGHT
XIV. PHILLIPS' DISCOVERY
XV. THE EXPLORATION OF THE TUNNEL
XVI. TRAPPED
XVII. THE MYSTERIOUS YACHT
XVIII. HOT ON THE TRAIL
XIX. THE FIRST CAPTURE
XX. A GOOD NIGHT'S WORK
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"THEY LANDED SAFELY ON THE LEE SIDE OF THE
STONE PIER" _Frontispiece_
"LOOK HERE, YOUNG GENTLEMAN, CAN YOU GIVE ME
ANY INFORMATION AS TO WHAT OCCURRED?"
"HE SLIPPED OVER THE CLIFF AND WAS SLOWLY
LOWERED"
"QUITE EXHAUSTED, THE FIRST SURVIVOR WAS
ASSISTED TO THE MOST SHELTERED POSITION ON
THE LEDGE"
"IN BROKEN-STEP FORM THE SCOUTS CARRIED THEIR
COMRADE TOWARDS THE CAMP"
"'IN THE NAME OF THUNDER, WHAT HAVE YOU
SCOUTS BEEN UP TO?'"
"THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON THE
WOLVES KEPT ON THE WATCH"
"'HANDS UP INSTANTLY OR I'LL FIRE!' ORDERED
MR. BUCKLEY STERNLY"
THE SCOUTS OF
SEAL ISLAND
CHAPTER I
SIR SILAS DISAPPROVES
"LADS," exclaimed Scoutmaster Leslie Trematon, "I am sorry to
announce a disappointment, but I trust you will receive the news like
true Scouts and keep smiling."
The Scoutmaster paused to note the effect of his words. Practically
every boy of the "Otter" and "Wolf" patrols knew what was coming, but
one and all gave no sign of disgust at the shattering of their hopes.
Two or three pursed their lips tightly, others set their jaws grimly,
while a few looked at their comrades as if to gauge the state of
their feelings on the matter.
"We must, I'm afraid, give up all hope of our Cornish trip and set
our minds upon a fortnight's camp at or in the neighbourhood of
Southend," continued Mr Trematon. "I had an idea, when I approached
Sir Silas Gwinnear, that my application would be favourably
considered, and that in less than a week's time you would be enjoying
the pure bracing air of Seal Island. Unfortunately, Sir Silas does
not see eye to eye with us. His opinion of Scouts in general is not a
flattering one. Of course every man is entitled to his own opinion,
but at the same time I sincerely trust that Sir Silas may be
convinced that his estimate of the qualities of Scouts is
inconsistent with facts. I would not hold your confidence if I did
not read his letter to you. At the same time I feel sure you will
make due allowances for the somewhat scathing strictures upon Boy
Scouts in general."
Leslie Trematon, the third master of Collingwood College, was a tall,
broad-shouldered muscular Cornishman of twenty-four years of age. He
was just over six feet in height, his complexion was ruddy, though
tanned by exposure to the sun, while his crisp, light brown hair and
kindly blue eyes gave him a boyish appearance. He had been two years
assistant master at Collingwood College, and, although a strict
disciplinarian during school hours, was the idol of his scholars. Out
of harness he was almost as one of them: full of spirit, keen on
games, and sympathetic with lads who sought his confidence.
A little more than twelve months previously, Mr Trematon had raised
four patrols of Scouts amongst the pupils of Collingwood College, and
the troop was officially designated the 201st North London. Trematon
saw possibilities in the Scout movement. His superior, the Rev.
Septimus Kane, the dignified and somewhat old-fashioned Principal of
the College, did not regard the newly raised Scouts in a favourable
light. He set his face against new institutions; but, finally, on the
Scoutmaster's representations he grudgingly consented to give the
experiment a term's trial.
At the end of the first term he condescended to admit that the 201st
Troop justified its existence. More recruits came in, and the
school-games club flourished more than it had done before. Scouting
went hand in hand with sport, and the Collingwood College football
team attained a higher place in the junior league than it had since
its formation.
The second term gave even better results. The whole school seemed
infected with the spirit. There was more esprit de corps, the
physical condition of the boys was decidedly on the improve, while
the Midsummer Examination percentage of passes caused the Rev.
Septimus to beam with satisfaction and the governors to bestow lavish
praise upon their headmaster and his staff of assistants.
Even Monsieur Fardafet, the second French master, noticed the change
in the boys' behaviour, and weeks went by without his having to
complain to the Head about the conduct of certain irreconcilables who
had hitherto been the worry and despair of his existence.
The fact was that the whole College was imbued with the principles of
scoutcraft. Every boy realised that it was incumbent upon him to
develop his individual character, and that it was impossible for his
masters to confide in him if he failed to confide in them.
It had always been a strong point with the Rev. Septimus to impress
upon his assistants the necessity of appealing to a boy's honour, but
hitherto there had been a flaw in the working of the Head's scheme.
The boys regarded any advance on their masters' part with suspicion.
It was their firm belief that masters existed simply and solely for
the purpose of driving in the dreary elements of knowledge. But when
Mr Leslie Trematon arrived upon the scene matters began to improve,
till, at the time our story opens, a state of harmony existed betwixt
the masters and scholars of Collingwood College.
The number of patrols had now increased to ten. Of these the "Otters"
and the "Wolves" were composed solely of boarder who, through various
circumstances, were unable to spend their holidays in the home
circle. Mr Trematon looked upon it as a pleasurable duty to give up a
portion of his summer vacation to these two patrols, and, with this
object in view, had approached Sir Silas Gwinnear to obtain his
permission to have the use of Seal Island for a fortnight in August.
Sir Silas was a city magnate whose name was generally to the fore in
every large commercial transaction that would bear close
investigation. With the exception of a comparatively brief holiday,
invariably spent on his large Cornish estate near Padstow, Sir Silas
stuck closely to his business. He was a self-made man, whose wealth
had been accumulated by sheer hard work and indomitable
determination. In his earlier days he knew Mr Trematon's father
intimately, and the young Scoutmaster took decorous advantage of this
friendship to ask a boon for his Scouts.
Seal Island, which formed but a small portion of Sir Silas' estates,
is situated off the north Cornish coast, being separated from the
shore by a stretch of deep water barely a quarter of a mile in width.
It is a little more than half a mile in length, and half that
distance across its widest part. Roughly, the island resembles the
shape of the body of a pig, the back being seawards. It is
uninhabited, save for numerous rabbits and countless sea-birds. Its
north-western side is honeycombed with caves; a romantic ruin, that
tradition ascribes to the work of a saintly hermit, occupies the
highest position, which is two hundred and fifty feet above the sea.
Needless to say the Scouts voted that Seal Island was an ideal place
to spend a holiday, and one and all looked for the expected reply.
And now Sir Silas Gwinnear had replied, and their hopes were dashed
to the ground.
"I may as well let you hear what Sir Silas says," continued Mr
Trematon. "You will then be able to know what some people think of us
Scouts:--
"DEAR MR TREMATON,
"I must apologise for the slight delay that has arisen in replying to
your letter of the 2nd.
"It is an unpleasant thing to have to refuse the request of the son
of an old friend of mine, but in so doing I merely adhere to the
principles I am about to explain.
"I give you my reasons. They may not meet with your approval, but
they are certainly what I believe to be correct. In the first place,
I strongly disapprove of the Boy Scout movement. To me, a man of
strong commercial instincts, the whole scheme suggests militancy and
is merely the thin end of the wedge of 'National Conscription,' which
to a man of peace is utterly abhorrent.
"Nor can I see that any useful purpose can be served by grotesquely
garbed youths running about the country with broomsticks in their
hands and wild cat-calls on their lips. The very privacy of a country
ramble is menaced by the apparition of an inquisitive youth in a
Scout's hat peering through a gap in the hedge.
"To-day, too much time is wasted in outdoor amusements--in fact, in
amusements of all sorts. The commercial vitality of the nation is
seriously threatened. I can assure you that I've had the greatest
difficulty in obtaining a suitable junior clerk. There were scores of
applicants for the post, but in almost every case the lads wanted to
know what holidays were given, and what the hours were on
Saturdays--in order, I suppose, that they can go to football.
"By granting you permission to take your Scouts to Seal Island I
realise that I should be tacitly violating my principles. It is not
because of the damage the boys might do: there is very little to harm
on the Island. I trust, therefore, that you will understand the
reason of my refusal, and accept my assurance of regret at not being
able to accede to your request.--Yours faithfully,
"SILAS GWINNEAR."
"Jolly hard lines, sir," exclaimed Jack Phillips,
the Second of the "Otters." "Can't you write and explain that his
ideas are wrong."
"Hardly," replied the Scoutmaster, with a smile. "Sir Silas does not
ask for my opinion. All the same it is up to us to show him that he
is in error. All great organisations are misunderstood by some,
especially during the initial stages. Time alone will wear down
opposition, and in due course I sincerely hope that Sir Silas may
have cause to change his opinions. Meanwhile, lads, we must not be
downhearted. I must say you appear to take the bad news in a true
Scout-like spirit. Perhaps, after all, we will have almost as jolly a
camp at Southend, although I am sorry we are not going to sample the
glorious Cornish climate. But now let's to work: its bridge building
to-night, and there's quite a lot to be done in the time."
Five minutes later the old gym., which the Rev. Septimus Kane had, as
a token of appreciation, handed over to the sole use of the Scouts,
was a scene of orderly bustle. For the time being the lads had put
Seal Island from their minds.