THE HOUSING PROBLEM
Now comes a _lapse of three years_--I got that out of the movies. Maybe
if you've read all about our adventures you'll remember how my patrol,
the Silver Foxes, hiked home from Temple Camp last summer. Believe me,
that was some hike. The other two patrols came home later by boat. They
said they had more fun without us. I should worry about _them_.
The second night after we were all home I started around to the church
to troop meeting and I met Pee-wee Harris coming scout pace down through
Terrace Street. He's one of the raving Ravens. He was all dolled up like
a Christmas tree, with his belt axe hanging to his belt and his scout
knife dangling around his neck and his compass on his wrist like a wrist
watch.
I said, "You look like a hardware store. Where are you going? To chop
down the North Pole?"
He said, "There's bad news waiting for us at troop meeting."
"Well, it'll have to wait till we get there," I told him; "I wouldn't go
scout pace hunting for bad news." Cracky, if that kid was on his way to
the electric chair he'd go scout pace.
"We've got to give up the troop room," he said; "Doctor Warren told my
mother to-day. The men are going to use it for a club."
"Good night!" I told him; "why should they use a club? We'll get out
without any trouble; peace at any price."
"It's a sociable club," he said.
"Well," I told him, "I wouldn't want to get hit with a club no matter
how sociable it is."
"It's going to be called the forearm club," he said.
Gee, I had to laugh. "You mean forum," I said. "What are you trying to
do? Scare the life out of me with clubs and forearms?"
When we got to the troop room all the fellows were standing around, and
Mr. Ellsworth, our scoutmaster, was there to tell us the worst.
He said, "Scouts, you'll all remember that this pleasant meeting place
was put at our disposal by Doctor Warren to be used by us until it
should be needed for other purposes." (This is just what he said,
because I asked him to write it out in my troop book afterwards.)
"Doctor Warren now informs me that the plans for building a new church
being postponed on account of the cost of labor and materials, the use
of this room practically every night in the week is imperative. Since we
are not actually a part of the church, I think we should insist on
relinquishing it in favor of the many church activities for which this
old building is all too small. We shall presently find another home. I
am sure that every scout in this troop will join me in expressing our
gratitude to Doctor Warren and his good people for their interest in us
and their hospitality. I am in hopes that the room in the Public Library
where the Red Cross ladies worked may be available to us. Meanwhile, we
have the great scout roof over our heads--the blue heaven."
"Believe me," I said, "that great scout roof is all right, only it leaks
like the dickens. Anyway, we should worry; we'll find a place."
So that night we spent taking down our pictures and all our birch bark
ornaments, and packing our books and getting ready to move. We were up
against the housing problem, that's what Westy Martin said.
The next day was Saturday. That's the thing I like best about
school--Saturday. So I went into the city to get a new scout suit on
account of my other one being all torn from our long hike from camp. I
came home on the Woolworth Special, that's the 5.10 train. On the train
I met Mr. John Temple. He's the man that started Temple Camp. He lives
in Bridgeboro and he owns a lot of railroads and things. Anyway, he did,
only the government took them. He should worry, he's going to get them
back. He's head of the bank, too. Gee, I hope nobody takes that away
from him. I've got fifty-seven dollars in that bank. He used to be mad
at the scouts, but then he found out that he was mistaken and he went
off and built Temple Camp just out of spite to himself, kind of.
Whenever he sees me he's awful nice.
He said, "Well, Roy, how are the scouts getting on?"
I said: "Believe _me_, they're not getting on, they're getting _out_. We
can't use the lecture room in the church any more. If we don't get the
room where the Cross Red Nurses were, I don't know where we'll meet
We'll meet in the sweet by and by, I guess."
He just began to laugh and he said: "Property and real estate are hard
to get just now. Rentals are pretty high."
"Gee whiz," I told him, "I wouldn't care if it was real estate or
imitation estate or any other kind if there was only a room on it."
He said, laughing all the while, "Well now, I have an idea. How would
this strike you? They're finishing the new station up at the Centre.
What do you think of that old car for a meeting place? Just for a while,
you know, till you can find a regular place somewhere. It has a stove
and seats and.... How would that strike you?"
Oh, boy!
"It strikes me so hard it makes a black and blue spot," I said; "and
that wouldn't be so far to go for meetings."
He said: "Oh, you wouldn't have to go up there for meetings. If I can
arrange to get it for you, I'll have it brought down to Bridgeboro. I
don't know where you could put it or just how you would move it away
from the tracks, but it could be done."
_Oh, bibbie_, wasn't I excited! "We could put it in the field down by
the river," I said; "oh, it would be simply great!"
Mr. Temple just laughed, and he said, "Well, don't count too much upon
it. Uncle Sam has a say in all these things nowadays. But I think
perhaps I can arrange matters. The car is no use up there; it isn't of
much use _anywhere_. I'm afraid the difficult part would be in moving it
away from the tracks when we got it to Bridgeboro. However, we'll see."
I was so excited that when we got to Bridgeboro I stayed on the train
and went on up to Brewster's Centre just to take a look at the car. As
long as I was up there I thought I might as well get an ice-cream cone
at that place I told you about. Then I hiked it home.