WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A BOY SCOUT
"Where are the stone throwers?" shouted the merry member of the Carberry
Twins, as he danced up and down, eagerly trying to discover some moving
object in the surrounding darkness.
"Gone like smoke, I guess," laughed Paul, who had really expected
something of this sort, judging from past experiences with these same
tormentors.
"Look there, I can see something moving yonder. Get ready to give a
volley!" cried Nuthin', pointing as he spoke.
"H-h-hold on, f-f-fellows, d-d-don't fire yet! It's only our old d-d-dun
cow!" gasped Bluff, excitedly; as he waved his arms up and down after the
manner of a cheer captain at a college football game.
"They've lit out, that's what," grumbled William, who felt as though
cheated.
"All right, then. It's just as well, for a fight would be a mighty poor
way of preparing to join the scout movement. You'll learn what I mean
later on when you hear the twelve points of the law that every fellow
must subscribe to," observed Paul, seriously.
"What d'ye mean, Paul?" demanded Bobolink, quickly.
"Yes, tell us right now what the twelve rules are," said William.
"I know, for I read all about them a few days ago," remarked Wallace,
readily.
"All right, then, suppose you call them off. What does a scout promise to
be if allowed to wear the uniform, Wallace?" asked the leader.
"To be trustworthy, loyal, helpful to others, friendly, courteous, kind,
obedient to his superiors, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent."
"Why, it doesn't say a single word about fighting!" ejaculated William.
"Because a scout must never fight save as a last resort, and then only to
save some weak one from punishment. He must be brave to face danger, to
stop a runaway horse; or jump in and keep another from drowning. Do you
get on to the meaning of this movement, fellows?" asked Paul, eagerly.
The more he read about it the greater became his desire to have a hand in
organizing a Stanhope troop that might compete with those of Aldine and
Manchester, two rival towns, both on the opposite side of the Bushkill
River, the former a few miles up-stream, and the latter the same distance
down.
"We do, and I tell you I like it better and better the more I hear of
it," said Jack, earnestly. "Why, I just had an idea it meant being junior
soldiers, and drilling so as to be ready to invade Canada, or repel the
yellow peril when the little Japs swarmed across the Pacific. Count me
in, Paul."
"If I can pass the examination I'm going with you, sure," observed
William.
"All right, but if they take you in just remember that you've got to quit
your playing tricks on everybody, William," declared the other Carberry
Twin.
"Listen to him, will you? He's feeling hard on me just because dad gave
him a touch of the cane last night, thinking it was me. As if I was to
blame for looking like my brother," the other said, plaintively, though
chuckling at the same time.
"You know you fixed it so he'd pounce on me. I'm always in hot water
because you must have your fun. 'Taint fair, and I'd have to be an angel
not to kick. Oh! I hope you get to be a scout, because then I'll have
some peace," declared Wallace; but all the others knew very well what a
deep and abiding affection there really lay between the Carberry Twins.
"Let's go home now. No use staying any longer out here, with Ted Slavin
and his cronies hanging around, ready to bombard us again. Besides, I
guess Paul wants to wait till he gets his book before telling us any more
about the game."
"Right you are, Nuthin'. I only wanted to see how the land lay, and if
you took to the idea. I'm satisfied already that it's going to make a
hit, if we can get a few more fellows to join in with us," said Paul.
"I know one good recruit I can drum up--Tom Bates," spoke up Albert.
"And a good addition to the seven now here. That would make our first
patrol," echoed the leader, quickly.
"How about inviting some of the Slavin crowd to join us?" asked Bobolink.
"Well, perhaps we might pick a couple there; but I think you'll have to
be getting up early in the morning to manage it," replied Paul,
meaningly.
"What's that?" asked William.
"Just this. Ted Slavin has heard our plans. You know that he never likes
to see anybody else pull down the plums. What will he do right away,
fellows?"
"Go and see his shadow, Ward Kenwood, and get him to put up the money to
start the ball rolling. My word for it that inside of a week there'll be
two rival Boy Scout troops in little old Stanhope," remarked Jack
Stormways.
"Say, that would be great, if the other crowd only acted on the square,"
ventured William. "We could have all sorts of contests between us. But
I know Ted Slavin too well to believe he'll ever subscribe to the twelve
rules Wallace mentioned. Why, he'd have to be made all over again to do
that."
"Look here, Paul, if a fellow has to live up to the rules, however could
the members of Ted's company be taken into a troop of Boy Scouts?" asked
Bobolink, who always sought information.
"I don't believe they ever could. Still, there's no law in the land to
prevent any lot of boys from forming a patrol, and calling themselves
scouts. That's my way of looking at it," was the answer the leader gave.
The lads were now on their way home, the lantern having been secured, and
extinguished, lest it invite another bombardment on the part of their
tormentors, doubtless still hovering somewhere nearby.
No further attack came, however, for which some of them were possibly
sorry, particularly William and Bluff, who delighted in strenuous action
at all times.
On the border of the town the seven separated into three groups, the
twins going off arm in arm, Bluff, Bobolink and A. Cypher forming
another; while Paul and his particular chum made up the third.
"Well," said Paul, as they headed for the house of his comrade, which
chanced to come before his own, "what do you think of my scheme, Jack?"
"Immense, that's what. I'm only astonished that nobody else took up with
the idea before. Poor old Stanhope seems to be away behind the times,
Paul."
"Well, I don't know. We've had lots going on this summer to take up our
time; and then most of us were away during part of the vacation. There
are other towns just as slow to catch on," returned the other, loyal to
the place of his birth.
"But now that the ball has been started rolling, just watch how fast it
gathers force. I know how you go at these things. And of all the fellows
I ever met, you are the one best fitted to lead in this thing, if I
understand the game right. Why, it's just going to fit in with the things
you've preached and practiced for years."
"That's why it appealed so strongly to me, after I really understood what
the many duties of a scout were supposed to be. But what's the matter
with you, Jack?"
"Eh? With me? Oh, nothing much, Paul."
But the other knew better, for he had noticed a frown come over Jack's
usually smiling countenance more than once that evening, when the other
thought he was not observed; and from this Paul felt positive his chum
was worrying about something.
"Of course, if you think it best not to take me in on it, I'm the last
one to bother you, old chap," he went on, when Jack interrupted him.
"It wasn't that, Paul, not in the least. To tell the truth I've been
thinking it over, and just about made up my mind that I must tell some
one, or I'd never sleep easy. And of all my friends you're the one
closest to me. Yes, I'm going to confess that there is something that
puzzles me, and fills me with alarm."
"Say, is it as bad as that, Jack? But how is it you don't want to go to
your own folks? You've got one of the best dads I ever knew, and your
mother, well, few are in the same class with her."
"That's just it, Paul. I'd hate to have either of them know anything
about this trouble."
Paul swung his friend around so that he could see into his face; for they
were just passing a street lamp at the time.
"Oh! I can look you in the eyes, old fellow. It isn't anything
disgraceful I've been doing, not at all. But you see," and again that
frown darkened Jack's brow as unpleasant things presented themselves
before his mind's eye, "it's a family affair, I'm afraid, and must be
kept quiet."
"Now you _have_ got me to guessing good and hard. Suppose you tell me
what it's all about. I hope your brother, Karl--" and there Paul stopped,
for by instinct he seemed to feel that he had guessed the truth the first
shot.
Jack had given a huge sigh that seemed to well up from his heart.
"Yes, it's about Karl, only I do hope that it will prove a false alarm,
because I just can't believe he'd do such a rotten thing," the other went
on, slowly.
"But he's only a little fellow after all, Jack?"
"That's so, but old enough to know better. You shall hear it all, and
then perhaps you'll advise me what to do," went on Paul's chum, with
a vein of relief in his voice, as though he felt better already, after
deciding to share his trouble with another.
"That's right, and you know that it goes no further, Jack."
"Karl got into some mischief a week ago, and to punish him father cut off
his allowance of spending money for a whole month. Now, Karl belongs to a
boys' club, and I heard that at their last meeting the other day he paid
up his dues, and seemed to have plenty of money. The question that is
bothering me is, where did he get it?"
"Oh! is that all? Why, you forget that your brother is a bright chap; and
I imagine you'll find he's been earning it some way or other; or perhaps
his mother gave it to him. But see here, there's more back of this than
you've told me?" declared Paul, suddenly.
"There is," replied his chum. "Listen now, and for goodness sake I hope
you can cheer me up some, by explaining a mystery that's bothering me.
It's about those old coins Uncle Reuben sent to me two years ago. There
are some twenty-one in the lot. They're copper coins, you know and I
don't suppose worth much. I've always kept them in a little open cedar
box on my table up in the den; you've spoken about them more than once."
"Sure, I remember all about them; but you don't mean to say--" and there
Paul stopped, almost afraid to voice the thought that flashed before his
mind.
"Yes, a bunch of them have gone in a mighty queer way. Why this morning
there were just fourteen left; but to tell the truth I was afraid to go
up there at supper time when I came in after our last game of ball on the
lot, to see if any more had disappeared."
"Say it plainly, Jack. Some one is taking your old coins, sent by your
uncle, and you're just afraid it's Karl, tempted to get some money in
that way. But where could he sell them, do you think?"
"There's old Doc. Thomes, who keeps stamps and curios for sale. I've seen
some coins in his window often. He would know the value of these, and
perhaps be willing to pay something for them. Oh! it's just awful even to
suspect my brother of being guilty of such a mean thing. I hate myself
for allowing it, and have made up my mind just to hide the rest away, and
never say a word."
"No, I wouldn't do that, Paul. In the first place it isn't fair to Karl."
"Fair? What can you mean? I wouldn't ever say a word to him, never!"
"That's just it, but you would _think_ it always; and if he is innocent,
why you see what a shame that would be. No, you ought to learn the truth,
even though determined to keep your mouth shut afterward. In justice to
Karl, you _must_ know!"
"I believe you are right, old fellow. And I'm going to be guided by what
you say. Come in with me, won't you?" pleaded Jack.
"Yes," answered Paul, promptly. "On condition that you take me up to your
den, where we can talk without being disturbed."
"You have an object in saying that. I believe you want to see for
yourself if any more of my coins have disappeared?" declared the other.
"I acknowledge the corn, for that is just what I wanted to learn, Jack."
"I suppose the sooner I take the bull by the horns, the quicker we can
learn the truth; so come on in," and taking his chum by the arm Jack led
the way boldly up to the door of the Stormways' house.
They managed to pass upstairs to the third floor without attracting any
attention, the family being gathered around a table in the living room,
reading.
No sooner had the lamp been lighted, after the door was closed, than Paul
stepped over to the table desk which he knew so well.
Just as Jack had said, there was a little cedar box standing in plain
view, and the coins it held attracted his eye.
Slowly and deliberately he proceeded to count them, while his chum
awaited the result with abated breath, and his eyes turned in another
direction.
"Well?" said Jack, hoarsely, when he saw that the other had dropped all
of the coins back, one by one.
"You said there were fourteen left this morning, didn't you, Jack?"
"Yes, and now?"
"I find just eight here, that's all!" came the answer that caused the
wretched brother of young Karl Stormways to shiver and sigh dismally.