THE FIRST SCOUT LEADER
Paul had said that he would be away the greater part of the day, his
father having asked him to go to the city on an important errand.
Consequently there was no opportunity for the two chums to confer upon
any of the matters that were interesting then.
But all the boys had agreed to meet at the house of Nuthin' that evening,
to plunge deeper into the subject of organizing at least one scout patrol
in Stanhope.
As usual Paul called for Jack, and as the latter's parents knew what was
on tap, there was no opposition shown to his going out.
"Has anything happened to-day?" whispered the visitor, as he was joined
by Jack in the hall.
"Yes, I was out a lot with the fellows, and doing some chores around; but
I mustered up enough courage just before supper to go upstairs," replied
the other, his voice giving plain warning as to what was to follow, for
it showed the strain.
"And counted the coins again, perhaps to find them short, eh, Jack?"
"Well, you said there were eight, and now I can count only six. Why, it's
getting to be a regular clock-like piece of business. And after what
father said this morning, too."
"What did he say?" asked Paul.
"Come along. I'll tell you while we're on our way," and Jack gave a
nervous look over his shoulder, as though afraid lest his brother pop
out on them unawares.
As they walked slowly along the road he spoke in the affectionate manner
in which Mr. Stormways had declared his utmost faith in the honesty and
integrity of his two boys.
"But you're not sure that Karl has anything to do with the disappearing
coins. Other boys may have been up there to-day?" suggested his friend,
quickly.
"I asked mother, and she said she didn't remember that any one had come
to see me. No, the more I think about it the worse I feel. But I guess
you didn't have any time to see old Doc. Thomes before you went to the
city, did you?"
"That's just what I did, dropped into his shop, told him I was going down
to New York on business for dad, and asked if I could do anything for
him."
"Oh! how bright of you, Paul. And what did he say to that?"
"It seemed to quite tickle the old chap. He said he had a little package
he wanted to send in to a dealer on Fourteenth Street, and would be glad
if I took it to him, instead of his sending it by express."
"A package, Paul; did he say what it contained?" demanded the other,
almost holding his breath with sudden alarm.
"Yes, a lot of old coins he had been buying lately. Now, hold your
horses, Jack, my boy. He hadn't made it up yet, and I helped him do it.
There wasn't one of the same kind yours are. He bought the collection of
Chinese and Japanese coins old Captain Crocker owned. His widow had no
use for them, and needed the money."
"Oh, you gave me a scare, Paul; but I'm glad you saw them, for I'd always
imagine mine must have been in the lot; not that I care a bit for the old
things now; but it was the thought, you know, the terrible suspicion."
"Yes, and while about it I managed to see every old coin Doc. has in his
shop, for he was pleased to let me root around. And Jack, not a single
one of your missing pieces has he got, depend on it."
"Oh! well," remarked Jack, arousing himself, "let's try and forget my
troubles for a while. Unless I get it off my mind I'll lie awake again,
and then your father, the doctor, will give me some medicine that tastes
even worse than what he did to-day. Did you get that manual you sent for,
Paul?" and the speaker resolutely shut his teeth hard together as if
determined to keep his mind off the harassing subject.
"Yes, it's in my pocket, and seems to be full of meat, too. I haven't had
much chance to soak it in, but what I did read interested me a whole
lot," returned the doctor's son.
"Well, I thought of a friend I had over in Manchester, and this afternoon
I took my wheel and jumped down there, crossing by the bridge. Just as I
hoped, Landy is a member of the troop there, and he gladly told me all he
knew about the business. I'm more than ever tickled at the idea of our
having a branch up here, to compete with the neighboring towns. He told
me something more that we might consider, too."
"What was that, Jack?"
"You remember Mr. Silas Westervelt, the Quaker of Manchester?"
"Sure. I've often talked with him, and my father is their family doctor,"
replied Paul, readily enough.
"It seems that he's become interested in this scout movement, which
he endorses through and through. The result is that he has offered a
beautiful banner to the organization that can show the highest degree of
efficiency, and the greatest number of merit marks by Thanksgiving day.
It's being made now, down in the city."
"That counts us in, then, for we'll have plenty of time to get busy
before the day of turkey rolls around, eh, Jack?"
"Oh! we'll be in the contest all right, even if we are counted in the
'also ran' class. These other fellows have been camping this summer, and
must be up in many of the things that count. But then, they haven't got
Paul Morrison at the head as scout leader, and that means everything in
our favor," declared Jack, warmly.
"Please cut that out after this. It's true that I've always been deeply
interested in many things connected with life in the woods; but you see
that's only one part of a good scout's credit marks. In fact, there's
hardly one thing in all the trades and professions that is omitted from
the list. Only he must _excel_ in all he undertakes. And soon we will
have to find a young man over twenty-one who will act as our scout
master."
"Hold up, there's Bobolink hurrying to catch us; and he acts as if he
might be the bearer of important news," remarked Jack, who had heard a
hail from the rear, and turned his head to see a flitting form.
The other came up, panting heavily.
"Say, you fellows must have the seven league boots, the way you get over
ground. And just after I've gone and made away with a monstrous supper,
too," he managed to say, between gasps. "Let me get my breath, and I've
got something to tell you."
"Is it about Ted Slavin and his cronies?" asked Paul, suspiciously.
"Hit it the first shot," returned Bobolink; "who told you?"
"Why, I haven't heard a word; only I thought that if there was anything
going on, Ted would be apt to have a finger in the pie," returned the
other, grimly.
"Well, he has, all right, as usual. Anyhow his mouthpiece, Ward Kenwood,
has, and it's the same thing. I was taking something in to the dominie at
our church (my mother is at the head of a committee, you know) when he
asked me if I was going to join the new Boy Scout patrol that was being
organized in Stanhope."
"Whew, but those fellows don't believe in letting the grass grow under
their feet, do they? Never thought a thing about it till they heard us
talking matters over; and here they're getting all the credit for being
first in the field," and Jack shrugged his shoulders ruefully as he
spoke.
"Didn't I say we'd have to get up early in the morning if we hoped to
keep from taking their dust? No matter what else you can say about them,
Ted and his crowd are alive, and wide-awake fellows all the time,"
returned Paul.
"Well, the minister was some surprised when I told him all about it. He
said he was delighted, and I guess he meant it too. The more patrols the
better for the community, he said. And he seemed to know all about the
meaning of the thing, for he showed me several books along the subject,
that he promised to lend us."
"Bully for him!" cried Jack, with perhaps more energy than reverence;
but had the genial old man heard the words he would have felt highly
complimented, knowing that whoever succeeds in getting the approval of
live, wide-awake boys must consider himself fortunate indeed.
"There's Nuthin's house," remarked Bobolink, just then.
"And Tom Bates going in, with the Carberry Twins. I hope we can enroll
a dozen good fellows for a start. The rest will flock over after a bit,
when they get to know what fine times we expect to have," remarked Paul.
They found that there were just a dozen present, counting A. Cypher, who
as host was much in evidence. Besides Tom Bates, the new boys were Philip
Towns, Jud Elderkin, Joe Clausin and Andy Flinn; the latter of Irish
parentage, but well liked, even though his widowed mother had to take
in washing to provide food for the numerous mouths dependent on her.
Andy was a particularly bright boy, and many declared that he had a
future before him, if only he kept away from the one curse of his
father's life, rum. But as he hated the very word drink, there seemed to
be little danger that he would be apt to follow in the footsteps of the
brilliant man who had fallen so early in life, and left a family nearly
destitute.
"Meeting please come to order," called Paul, after he had been pushed
into a chair to serve as temporary chairman.
Soon the boys began to go into the details of the projected troop, its
meaning, what good it might be expected to accomplish, and everything
connected with the Boy Scout organization.
Paul read page after page from the book he had brought, while the others,
including the parents of A. Cypher, listened, and applauded at times, as
some particularly fine point happened to strike them.
"That ought to do for the present," said Paul, finally, as he closed the
book and beamed upon his mates; "and now, what do you think, fellows?"
"I'm just wild to get started, and more so than ever after hearing all
about the hundreds of fine things scouts can do. I'm a crank on making
fires, and I guess I'd qualify right easy for the championship in that
tournament!" exclaimed William Carberry, his face aglow.
"Yes, and I remember the time he nearly burned our house down, trying to
start a blaze without a match. He got the fire all right; but there was a
lively time around there, until the bucket brigade arrived, and slushed
things down. Oh! you can believe William; he's some on the fire racket,"
remarked the other Twin, at which there was a roar from those present.
"I move that we write out just what we intend to do, and that all the
fellows in the room sign it as charter members. Then we'll try to double
our dozen by a week, and rush things along. We already have enough for
the first patrol and half a second. If we expect to compete with those
other troops in the struggle for supremacy we've got to be awake and
doing."
"You never said truer words, Paul. What sort of a binding agreement had
we ought to get up?" asked Bobolink, pretending that it was Tom Bates who
spoke; for really the boy had a wonderful gift of ventriloquism, and
often amused himself, and his friends as well, by sending his voice into
strange places, to the wonder of those who were not aware of his tricks.
"I thought that over, and wrote out what I believed would cover the
ground. If you listen now, I'll read it to you," returned the chairman.
"Hear! hear ye! All keep silent while our honored chairman reads the
document to which we expect to subscribe our names and seals!" called
William, pompously.
What Paul had written was simply that those whose names were found below
had united themselves together with the idea of forming a troop that
could be connected with the regular Boys Scout organization as
incorporated.
Then every boy present wrote his name beneath the agreement, after which
they went into executive session, the parents of A. Cypher being kindly
but firmly requested to retire from the room, while the election of
officers proceeded, and other necessary steps were taken to perfect the
first patrol.
So the first patrol of Stanhope Troop was organized, and consisted of the
eight originators of the scheme. It was decided to call this the Red Fox
patrol. As fast as others were arranged for they could take on such names
as Gray Fox, White Fox and even Black Fox.
Later on they hoped to secure a scout master, but just now with Paul and
Wallace brimming over with woods' lore, the lack of such an officer would
not bother them.
The meeting ended in Paul being placed in the honored position of scout
leader, with the second position being thrust on Jack Stormways, though
he declared that Wallace Carberry was far better qualified to fill it
than he ever could be.
But Paul was satisfied to have it so. Jack was his favorite chum; and he
would be thrown much in his company. Besides, the desire to study up the
rules, and perfect himself in all that an assistant scout master should
know, might for a time at least take Jack's thoughts away from the
subject of his trouble at home.
Before the boys left they were summoned to the dining room, where
refreshments were placed before them; and when the meeting did finally
break up every fellow felt deep down in his heart that an important step
had been taken toward raising the standard of living among the rising
generation of Stanhope.
Finally, as the hour had grown fairly late it was suggested that they
leave in a body, since all military organizations did this.
"And," continued the one who had put this idea forward, "while we have
nothing to do with the army itself, we expect to be governed by certain
military rules. What say, fellows?"
"Fall in! fall in!"
Out of the door they marched, and down the steps, two by two; Bluff
Shipley, who was paired with Nuthin', being the lone straggler in the
rear, since his mate remained at home.
If he experienced the slightest sense of dejection at being compelled to
walk without a side partner, it was of very brief duration.
Outside it was very dark, and this condition seemed more or less
heightened by the fact that the eyes of the young scouts had become
accustomed to the glow of the rooms they had just left.
Consequently there was more or less chance of some one tripping on the
steps, and pulling others down with him.
"'Ware the fourth step; it's shaky and may throw you, boys!" sang out
Nuthin'.
Hardly had he spoken than the first pair executed a beautiful forward
bow, and went down in a heap from the lower step.
"Look out there! A rope!"
Paul had just barely time to give utterance to this warning when the next
pair found the obstruction for themselves, and came plunging down on top
of those already landed.
Two more were close behind, so nearly upon the heels of the second pair
that it was really impossible for them to avoid following in their wake.
Thus there were by this time six struggling figures at the foot of the
steps, while the balance of the patrol huddled just above, looking with
amazement at the dimly seen spectacle.
From somewhere near by, possibly the shelter of some bushes, came gurgles
of boyish laughter, and jeering words in assumed voices.
No need to tell Paul and his friends to whose kind attention they owed
this unexpected downfall. Ted Slavin and his backers had not been idle
while the new patrol was being organized in the home of Nuthin'. They had
fastened a stout rope across the lower step, and succeeded in tripping
half of their rivals.
Paul managed to scramble to his feet, hardly knowing whether to laugh, or
get angry at this practical joke on the part of the opposition.