“STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT!”
Hugh made up his mind, on the spur of the moment, that it might be
unwise for him to attempt anything at once. He wanted a little time to
think things over, and lay out some plan of campaign, for Hugh did not,
as a rule, believe in doing things hastily.
Besides, Benjy must have noticed him talking with Tom, and would
immediately jump to the conclusion that it was a conspiracy between
them. The result would be disastrous for the success of any future
missionary work.
When Benjy came face to face with Hugh, the latter spoke pleasantly. He
noticed that the boy colored up, and, although he answered the friendly
salutation, he immediately assumed a reckless, indifferent air, and went
along whistling as though he had noticed their heads together, and would
snap his fingers at them.
Hugh found himself wondering whether it could be conscious guilt that
made Benjy fire up so, or simply boyish indignation over being suspected
and watched in that way.
“It’s going to be some job managing that boy,” the scout master candidly
admitted to himself; but, then, somehow, he always found additional
interest in a task that tried his patience, and his powers of endurance,
for there could be very little satisfaction in beating an antagonist who
was handicapped.
Hugh was unusually quiet on that evening at the supper table, a fact his
folks may have noticed. But then they were accustomed to seeing the boy
look grave, for owing to the position he held in the scouts, Hugh often
had to wrestle with matters that did not give most of the other fellows
a moment’s thought.
Later on, Hugh, having gotten his lessons, observed that he was going
over to the home of Professor Marvin, where there was to be a little
meeting of people interested in town improvement.
The smile that broke over the face of his mother at hearing him say this
so modestly told of the pride she took in the fact that Hugh, as the
assistant scout master, should be consulted at all when events of
considerable magnitude connected with uplift movements were being
discussed.
It certainly must make any mother’s heart beat with joy when realizing
that her son, though only a boy in years, had become a factor in town,
that he has to be consulted, and his aid asked whenever there is a
movement on foot looking to bettering conditions of living in the
community.
When Hugh reached the house where Professor Marvin lived, he found a
little company assembled. Besides a number of the leading ladies
identified with the league that had already done so much for the
betterment of the town, there were three pastors present, the mayor of
Oakvale, Doctor Kane, always to be relied on in things of this sort, and
three influential citizens, who like many other people had begun to
despair of any concerted movement directed to change the wretched
conditions then prevailing.
There had been rambling talk going on. Evidently they had been waiting
for the arrival of Mayor Strunk, whom Hugh had seen pass in.
Mr. Marvin now opened the meeting, which he said would be an informal
affair.
“We know that every person in Oakvale who has taken the trouble to pay
any attention to the way things are going,” he began to say, “has been
pained by the conditions prevailing. It is the consensus of opinion that
something must be done, and that immediately, to better things. The only
question that has kept this movement from crystallizing before has been
the lack of cohesion; no one seemed to be able to present a proper plan
that would unite all the different organizations interested in the good
name of our town. And that is the object of this meeting to-night. We
must all get together, and put our shoulders to the wheel.”
Mayor Strunk, seeing that most eyes were immediately directed toward his
quarter, got up to say his little piece. As usual, he was for
procrastination. He had attended several other meetings during the
winter just passed and always advised going slowly, so as not to make
any mistake. The ladies had now become indignant, and quite out of
patience with him.
So when the suave politician commenced by saying that he realized as
well as any one the need of something being done to improve living in
Oakvale, and then went on to repeat the old advice not to be too hasty,
because Rome was not built in a day, and all that sort of thing, there
were quick glances passing around, and one lady had to be held down by
main force, so eager was she to take the speaker to task, regardless of
parliamentary rules.
Hardly had the mayor finished speaking, than she was on her feet, with
flashing eyes. A ripple of applause greeted her taking the floor,
because those present understood how fluently Mrs. Beverly could speak
when her heart was full of a subject.
“Mayor Strunk advises delay, and delay,” she broke out with,
indignantly. “I decline to agree with his policy. I have heard it
advocated many times before, and nothing was ever done. The time to
strike is when the iron is hot! Conditions are daily growing more
unbearable. To-day our fair town has fallen from the position we once so
proudly boasted. There are hidden snares for the feet of our young men
and boys, about which the police must know. They should be wiped out
pitilessly. There are numberless nuisances that are painful to the eyes
and noses of sensitive people; these should be rigorously pursued with
fines and other penalties until they are abated. If we have not laws on
the books to cover all these offences let us see to it that they are
immediately placed there. Then there is another crying evil that should
be stopped without delay. I refer to several dangerous crossings where
accidents have been known to happen, and at any day a terrible tragedy
may stun the community. Listen while I tell you something that by the
merest accident I witnessed myself, and only a few hours ago.”
Then, in graphic language, she went on to describe the affair at the
crossing.
“Those little children were anxious to get home. They waited all of five
minutes, and there was not the first chance given them to cross over, so
stupid and selfish have the drivers and chauffeurs in Oakvale become,
because the law is not strictly enforced. Then that one little chit,
Anita Burns, bravely started across, eager to get to where an anxious
mother waited for her. I saw a team of horses towering over her, and my
heart literally stood in my mouth with fear.”
She had everybody intensely interested by this time. Hugh drew back a
little for he feared she might mention him by name, and he shrank from
publicity.
“Just in the nick of time I saw a boy dart forward,” continued the lady
passionately. “He was lost to my sight for a brief period, and then when
I thought I should faint with fear and suspense, I saw him appear on the
opposite walk, carrying the child, uninjured, in his arms. He set her
down on her feet, waved his hand to her, and then walked off with
several of his scout chums, just as unconcerned, apparently, as though
it might be nothing unusual; nor was it, my friends, for by this time we
have all become accustomed to hear about—Hugh Hardin doing valiant
things like that.”
She paused, because there was a wild outburst of cheers.
Hugh was as red as fire.
“If I had known that you saw that little happening, Mrs. Beverly, and
meant to speak of it here, I might not have come over, though I
certainly did want to hear what was said and done,” Hugh managed to
stammer, at which there was another round of cheers accompanied by hand
clapping.
“That is the best part of it all, Hugh,” said the lady. “The fellow who
can do a clever thing like that and still shrink from publicity, doubly
wins our admiration. But, my friends, I only mentioned the incident to
show you how at any day there may take place a terrible tragedy at one
of these unprotected crossings, where our innocent children have to pass
over, going to and coming home from school. Now what shall we do about
it? Must we wait until a fatality comes about before we combine all
forces for good to crush these menaces to our peace and happiness? I say
to you the hour has struck, and the women of this town are at last
determined to sweep every obstacle out of their way in order to attain
their end.”
Mayor Strunk threw up his hands.
“I surrender, ladies!” he hastened to exclaim, with the air of a man who
knew how to get in out of the wet when it began raining. “Just as you
say, the time for delay has passed, and from this night forward you can
count on me as being with you, heart and soul. That little girl, Anita
Burns, is my own grandchild, some of you may remember, and if anything
had happened to her could I ever forgive myself? I guess it needed
something like this to take the scales from my eyes.”
Everybody looked happy when they heard the mayor say this. Really, it
had been his system of procrastination that had kept matters from
reaching a climax long before. No one professed to understand just why
he should have acted as he did, since his position as mayor carried no
salary with it.
Professor Marvin later on called upon Hugh, as representing the scouts
of Oakvale, to outline the idea he had in mind of having the boys made
assistant police, with authority to wear badges, and power to order
arrests in cases of emergency.
The mayor was somewhat dubious about the propriety of so radical a
proceeding.
“It would be almost revolutionary,” he observed, “but then we happen to
know how well Hugh can be trusted to keep his troop under strict
control, and they have before this amply proven worthy of the citizens’
full trust. I shall call a meeting of the town council for to-morrow
night, and as many of you as can, be present; I’d be glad of your
backing when this scheme is thrashed out there.”
So at last the uplift movement had come to Oakvale, thanks in part to
Hugh Hardin and his fellow scouts.