ROY'S NATURE
Roy Blakeley was a scout of the scouts, and no sooner had he got away
from the atmosphere of resentment and disappointment which pervaded the
troop room, then he began to feel sorry for what he had said. The
picture of Tom picking up his hat and going forth into the night and to
his poor home, lingered in Roy's mind and he lay awake half the night
thinking of it.
He had no explanation of Tom's singular act, except the very plausible
one that Tom had lost his former lively interest in the troop, even so
much as to have forgotten about those three cabins to which they had
always seemed to have a prior right; which had been like home to them in
the summertime.
When you look through green glass everything is green, and now Roy
thought he could remember many little instances of Tom's waning interest
in the troop. Naturally enough, Roy thought, these scout games and
preparations for camping seemed tame enough to one who had gone to
France and fought in the trenches. Tom was older now, not only in years
but in experience, and was it any wonder that his interest in "the kids"
should be less keen?
And Roy was not going to let that break up the friendship. Loyal and
generous as he was, he would not ask himself why Tom had done that
thing; he would not let himself think about it. He and the other scouts
would get ready and go to camp, live in tents there, and have just as
much fun.
So no longer blaming Tom, he now blamed himself, and the thing he blamed
himself for most of all was his angry declaration that Tom was probably
acquainted with the scoutmaster of that fortunate troop in Ohio. He knew
that must have cut Tom, for in his heart he knew Tom's blunt sense of
fairness. Whatever was the cause or reason of Tom's singular act it was
not favoritism, Roy felt sure of that. He would have given anything not
to have said those words. Lukewarm, thoughtless, Tom might be, but he
was not disloyal. It was no new friendship, displacing these old
friendships, which had caused Tom to do what he had done, Roy knew that
well enough.
In the morning, unknown to any of the troop he went early to the bank
building to wait for Tom there, and to tell him that he was sorry for
the way he had spoken.
But everything went wrong that morning, the trails did not cross at the
right places. Probably it was because Lucky Luke was concerned in the
matter. The fact is that it being Saturday, a short and busy day, Tom
had gone very early to the Temple Camp office and was already upstairs
when Roy was waiting patiently down at the main door.