COWARD!
There were not many boys bathing at the time this thing happened. Roy
and several of the Silver Foxes were at a little distance from the shore
practising archery, and a number of scouts from other troops lolled
about watching them. Three or four boys from a Pennsylvania troop were
having an exciting time with the rowboat, diving from it out in the
middle of the lake. Pee-wee Harris and Dory Bronson, of Tom's patrol,
were taking turns diving from the spring-board. Tom and Garry joined
them and, as usual, whenever Garry was diving, boys sauntered down to
the shore and watched.
"Here goes the Temple Twist," said he, turning a complete somersault and
then jerking himself sideways so as to strike the water crossways to the
spring-board.
There was some applause as he came up spluttering. Tom tried it, but
could not get the twist.
"Try this on your piano," said Garry, diving and striking the water
flat.
"That's what you call the Bridgeboro Botch," he laughed, as Tom went
sprawling into the water. "Hey, Blakeley," he shouted to Roy, "did you
see the Bridgeboro Botch?"
"There's no use their trying _your_ tricks," Roy called in genuine
admiration. "I'm coming in in a few minutes, myself."
But Tom dived very well for all that, and so did Pee-wee, but Dory
Bronson was new at the game.
The thing which was destined to have such far-reaching consequences
happened suddenly and there was some difference of opinion among the
eye-witnesses as to just how it occurred, but all were agreed as to the
main fact. Dory had just dived, it was Pee-wee's turn next, Tom would
follow, and then Garry, who meanwhile had stepped up to where Roy and
the others were shooting, and was chatting with them.
They had dived in this order like clockwork for some time, so that when
Dory did not appear on the board the others looked about for him. Just
at that moment a piercing cry arose, and a dozen pairs of eyes were
turned out on the lake where the boy was seen struggling frantically.
It was evident that the boys in the boat were pulling to his assistance,
but they were too far away and meanwhile he floundered and struggled
like a madman, sending up cries that echoed from the hills. How he had
gotten out so far no one knew, unless indeed he had tried to swim to the
boat.
The sight of a human being struggling frantically in the water and lost
to all sense of reason by panic fright is one to strike terror to a
stout heart. Even the skilful swimmer whose courage is not of the
stoutest may balk at the peril. That seemed to be the feeling which
possessed Tom Slade as he stood upon the end of the spring-board and
instead of diving cast a hurried look to where Garry Everson was talking
with Roy.
It all happened in a moment, the cries from the lake, Tom's hesitation,
his swift look toward Roy and Garry, and his evident relief as the
latter rushed to the shore and plunged into the water. He stood there on
the end of the high spring-board, conspicuous against the blue sky, with
his eyes fixed upon the swimmer. He saw the struggle in the water, saw
the frantic arms clutch at Garry, watched him as he extricated himself
from that insane grasp, saw him catch the struggling figure with the
"neck grip" as the only means of saving both lives, and watched him as
he swam toward shore with his now almost unconscious burden. What he
thought, how he felt, no human being knew. He stood motionless like a
statue until the growing crowd below him set up a cheer. Then he went
down and stood among them.
"Didn't you see him drowning there?" a fellow demanded of him.
"Yes, I did," said Tom.
The other stared at him for a moment with a peculiar expression, then
swung on his heel and strode away.
Tom craned his neck to see and spoke to those nearest him, but they only
answered perfunctorily or ignored him altogether. He moved around to
where Roy stood, and Roy, without looking at him, pressed farther into
the crowd.
"That's he," a boy near him whispered to his neighbor; "stood on the end
of the board, watching. I didn't think we had any cowards here."
In every face and most of all in the faces of his own troop Tom saw
contempt plainly written. He could not go away from them, for that might
excite fresh comment; so he remained, trying to disregard the
significant glances and swallowing hard to keep down the lump which kept
rising in his throat.
Soon the doctor came, relieving Doc Carson of the Ravens, and the
half-drowned boy was taken to his cabin.
"He--he's all right, isn't he?" Tom asked of the doctor.
"Yes," said the doctor, briefly. "He's one of your own patrol, isn't
he?"
"Yes--sir."
The doctor looked at him for a moment and then turned away.
"Hello, old man," said Garry, as he passed him, hurrying to the
pavilion. "Cold feet, eh? Guess you got a little rattled. Never mind."
The words stabbed Tom like a knife, but at least they were friendly and
showed that Garry did not entirely condemn him.
He paused at the Elks cabin, the cabin of his own patrol, where most of
the members of his troop were gathered. One or two made way for him in
the doorway, but did not speak. Roy Blakeley was sitting on the edge of
Dory's couch.
"Roy," said Tom, still hesitating in the doorway of his own patrol
cabin, "can I speak to you a minute?"
Roy came out and silently followed Tom to a point out of hearing of the
others.
"I--I don't care so much what the others think," said Tom. "If they want
to think I'm a coward, all right. But I want to tell _you_ how it was so
_you_ won't think so."
"Oh, you needn't mind about me," said Roy.
"You and Garry--I----"
"I guess _he_ knows what to think, too," said Roy, coldly. "I guess he
has his opinion of the First Bridgeboro Troop's courage."
"That's why I care most," said Tom, "on account of disgrace for one
being disgrace for all--and honor, too. But there's something----"
"Well, you should have thought of that," Roy interrupted impetuously,
"when you stood there and let a strange fellow rescue one of your own
patrol. You practically asked him to do it--everybody saw."
"There's something----"
"Oh, sure, _there's something_! I suppose you'll be able to dig
something out of the Handbook, defending cowards! You're great on the
Handbook."
Again that something came up in Tom's throat and the ugly word cut him
so that he could hardly speak.
"No, there isn't anything in the Manual about it," said he, in his slow
monotone, "because I looked."
Roy sneered audibly.
"But I thought there might be another law--a 13th one about----"
"Oh, you make me sick with your 13th law!" Roy flared up. "Is that what
you were dreaming about when you stood on the end of that board and
beckoned to Garry----"
"I didn't beckon, I just looked----"
"Just looked! Well, I don't claim to be up on the law like you, but the
10th law's good enough for me,--'A scout is brave; he has the courage to
face danger in spite of fear.' This fellow will have the bronze cross,
maybe the silver one, for rescuing one of _our_ troop, one of _your own_
patrol. _You_ know how we made a resolution that the first honor medal
should come to us! And here you stand there watching and let a stranger
walk away with it!"
"Do you think he'll get it?" Tom asked.
"Of course, he'll get it."
Tom smiled slightly. "And _you_ think I'm a coward?"
"I'm not saying what I think. I never _did_ think so before. I know that
fellow will have the cross and they'll be the honor troop because in
_our_ troop we've got----"
"Don't say that again, Roy; please don't--I----"
Roy looked at him for one moment; perhaps in that brief space all the
history of their friendship came rushing back upon him, and he was on
the point of stretching out his hand and letting Tom explain. But the
impulse passed like a sudden storm, and he walked away.
Tom watched him until he entered the patrol shack, and then went on to
his own cabin. Jeb Rushmore was out with the class in tracking, teaching
them how to _feel_ a trail, and Tom sat down on his own couch, glad to
be alone. He thought of the members of his own troop, in and about his
own patrol cabin, ministering to Dory Bronson. He wondered what they
were saying about him and whether Roy would discuss him with others. He
didn't think Roy would do that. He wondered what Mr. Ellsworth would
think--and Jeb Rushmore.
He got up and, fumbling in his duffel bag, fished out the thumbed and
dilapidated Handbook, which was his trusty friend and companion. He
opened it at page 64. He knew the place well enough, for he had many
times coveted what was offered there. There, standing at attention and
looking straight at him, was the picture of a scout, very trim and
natty, looking, as he had often thought, exactly like Roy. Beside it was
another picture of a scout tying knots and he recalled how Roy had
taught him the various knots. His eyes scanned the type above till he
found what he sought.
"The bronze medal is mounted on a red ribbon and is awarded to a
scout who has actually saved life where risk is involved.
"The silver medal is mounted on a blue ribbon and is awarded to a
scout who saves life with considerable risk to himself.
"The gold medal is mounted on white ribbon and is the highest
possible award for heroism. It may be granted to a scout who has
gravely endangered his own life in actually saving the life of
another."
"It'll mean the silver one for him, all right," said Tom to himself,
"and that's three more weeks. I wish it could be the gold one."
Idly he ran through the pages of the book, pausing here and there. On
page 349 were pictures of scouts rescuing drowning persons. He knew the
methods well and looked at the pictures wistfully. Again at page 278 was
some matter about tracking, with notes in facsimile handwriting. This
put the idea into his mind that he might insert a little handwriting of
his own at a certain place, and he turned to the pages he knew best of
all--33 and 34. He read the whole twelve laws, but none seemed quite to
cover his case. So he wrote in a very cramped hand after Law 12 these
words:
"13--A scout can make a sacrifice. He can keep from winning a medal
so somebody else can get it. Especially he must do this if it does
the other scout more good. That is better than being a hero."
He turned to the fly leaf and wrote in sprawling, reckless fashion: "I
am not a coward. I hate cowards." Then he tore the page out and threw it
away. He hardly knew what he was doing. After a few minutes he turned to
page 58, where the picture of the honor medal was. As he sat gazing at
it, loud shouting arose in the distance. Nearer and nearer it came, and
louder it grew, until it swelled into a lusty chorus. Around the corner
of the pavilion they came, two score or more of scouts, yelling and
throwing their hats into the air. Tom looked up and listened. Through
the little window he could glimpse them as they passed, carrying Garry
Everson upon their shoulders, and shrieking themselves hoarse. Pee-wee
was there and Artie Val Arlen, of the Ravens, and the little
sandy-haired fellow with the cough, running to keep up and yelling
proudly for his chief and idol.
"Hurrah for the silver cross!" they called.
"Three cheers for the honor scout!"
"Three cheers and three extra weeks!"
They paused within a dozen feet of where Tom sat, and pushing, elbowing,
fell into the woods path leading up to Hero Cabin. Tom listened until
their voices, spent by the distance, were scarcely audible. Then he fell
to gazing again at the picture of the medal.