CHAPTER III
THE PATROL LEADER'S DILEMMA
SHIVERING under the stern canopy of the launch, Scout Athertonassisted the bowman in his work of restoring the half-drowned man tolife. Before the craft reached Charing Cross Pier, the policeman wasable to announce that there was yet hope.
Feeling dizzy and numbed Atherton stepped ashore.
"Can I help, sir?" he asked.
"You'd better run off home and get out of those wet clothes," repliedthe coxswain, a sergeant of police. "Do you feel equal to it, orshall we get you a cab?"
"I'm all right, I think," replied Atherton.
"Let's have your name and address," continued the sergeant, pullingout his notebook. "You're a plucky youngster, that you are."
Atherton was not at all keen on giving the particulars. Publicity wasthe thing he wished to avoid. He had done a good turn, and,Scout-like, he wanted, now that he could render no furtherassistance, to modestly retire from the scene.
His desire was gratified, for at that moment a doctor, two reportersand an ambulance man came hurrying down the incline leading to thepier. The doctor turned his attention to the still unconscious man,while the Pressmen tackled the sergeant in a most business-likemanner.
Atherton seized the opportunity and slipped off.
The water was still dripping steadily from his things. He startedinto a run, partly to restore his numbed circulation and partly toget back to the spot where he had taken his venturesome dive, for heremembered that he had left his boots and coat on the bridge. By thetime he reached the top of the three flights of stairs leading fromthe Embankment to the bridge his watery tracks were quiteinsignificant, and of the few people hurrying on their way home nonenoticed the hatless, coatless and bootless youth.
The crowd of curious spectators had dispersed. A rumour that thewater police had picked up the body of the victim had resulted in awild stampede along the Embankment. Atherton made his way to theplace where he had dropped into the river. His coat and boots hadvanished.
"I'm in a pretty fine mess!" he exclaimed, ruefully. "Dirty trick,sneaking a fellow's clothes, though. I wonder what the Head will saywhen I turn up late."
Atherton knew that if he journeyed to King's Cross otherwise than onfoot he would be exposing himself to a great risk by taking cold, soadopting the "Scout's pace"--alternately walking and running twentypaces--he found himself at the Great Northern metropolitan stationin very quick time.
Upon arriving at Collingwood College a slice of good luck awaitedhim. Jellyboy, the porter, was standing on the kerb beckoningfrantically to a newsboy. The outer door was open, and the Scoutslipped in unobserved.
Under ordinary circumstances he would have gone straight to his housemaster, but the desire to keep his good turn a secret caused him tomake straight for the dormitory. Here he changed, placing his stilldamp clothes under his bed till he could find an opportunity ofdrying them.
"Prep." was over. Harrison, the junior science master had been incharge, and had not noticed Atherton's absence. The Scouts wereassembling for the evening's instruction, and, not without curiousglances from his chums, the Leader of the "Otters" joined them.
Somehow Atherton did not feel quite satisfied with himself. He beganto realise that by avoiding publicity he had placed himself in afalse position. By promptly giving the police a detailed descriptionof the two assailants, the arrest of the culprits might have beenspeedily effected. Besides, he did not relish the stealthy tactics hehad to adopt in returning to the College without being detected.
"I'll see Mr Trematon and tell him all about it," he declared. "Itseems to me that I've made a pretty mess of things, so here goes."
"Well, Atherton, what do you want?" basked the Scoutmaster, as theLeader went up to him and saluted. "A suggestion for the camp, eh?"
"No, sir," replied Atherton. "I'm in a difficulty and want advice.Can I speak to you in the store-room, sir?"
"Certainly," assented Mr Trematon kindly. "Now, Atherton, what is itthat's worrying you?"
The Scout told the story of his adventure, omitting nothing, althoughhe put the account of his part of the rescue in as brief a form aspossible.
"You had better come with me to the Head," said Mr Trematon, whenAtherton had finished. "I think I can account for your reticence, andno doubt Mr Kane will see things in a similar light."
"Whatever possessed you to go without giving your name and address,Atherton?" asked the Rev. Septimus. "Don't you see you are puttingobstacles in the way of the police?"
"I have thought of that since, sir," replied Atherton; "but at thetime all I wanted was to make myself scarce."
"Make yourself scarce!" repeated the Head, reprovingly. "That ishardly the right way to express yourself:"
"Well, sir, you see I did not want any reward for my good turn."
"What a strange idea," remarked the Rev. Septimus Kane to hisassistant.
"One of the principles of Scout law, sir; to do a brave action withthe prime motive of self-advertisement is deprecated by all trueScouts."
"Yet I notice names of Scout heroes frequently figure in the Press,"added the Head, musingly.
"Possibly not with their consent, sir."
"There are volumes in the meaning of the word 'possibly,' MrTrematon. However, the best thing you can do is to take Atherton overto the police-station. Ask that his identity may be concealed ifpracticable. They will telephone the description of the twoassailants to the other stations, and in that way a tardy assistancemay be rendered to the Force. Don't wait, it is late already."
"Very good sir. Do you want me----"
Mr Trematon's words were interrupted by a sharp knock at the studydoor, and in response to the Head's invitation Jellyboy, the porter,entered, followed by a stalwart constable.
"Good evening, sir," exclaimed the policeman, saluting. "I've beensent to make a few enquiries, sir; can I speak to you in private?"
"I do not think privacy is desirable, constable," replied the Rev.Septimus, who at times possessed a keen intuition. "You have calledwith reference to that case of attempted murder on HungerfordBridge."
"You're right, sir," said the astonished policeman. "You'll excuseme, sir, but might I ask how you know?"
"Easily explained, constable. You have a parcel under your arm. Ithas been crushed. The brown paper covering has burst. I can see aportion of the contents: a boy's cap with the badge of CollingwoodCollege. Since one of my pupils--this lad, as a matter of fact--hasarrived without a cap, coat or boots, and has reported to me that hejumped into the Thames after a gentleman who was thrown over thebridge by a couple of roughs, it naturally follows that I can guessthe nature of your errand."
"You are quite right, sir," said the constable, admiringly.
"I frequently am," rejoined the Head, complacently. "But to return tothe point: has the identity of the victim been established?"
"Yes, sir, the gentleman is Sir Silas Gwinnear. You might have heardof him, sir."
Leslie Trematon gave an exclamation of surprise. Atherton, equallyastonished, could hardly realise the news. It seemed like a dream.Only a few days previously Sir Silas had written expressing hisopinion of the Scout movement in emphatic terms of disapproval, andnow, by the irony of fate, he owed his life to a Scout's promptitudeand bravery.
"What is the matter, Mr Trematon?" asked the Head, who could not failto notice the Scoutmaster's ejaculation of astonishment.
"I happen to know Sir Silas, sir," he replied. "He was a friend of myfather's. Only the day before yesterday he wrote to me."
"And how is Sir Silas?" asked the Rev. Septimus, addressing thepoliceman.
"Getting along finely, sir, considering he's not a young man by anymeans."
"And his assailants?"
"No trace of them, sir. One of our men found these articles ofclothing and took them to the station. A letter addressed to MasterAtherton was in one of the pockets, so the Inspector sent me here tomake enquiries. Is this the lad, sir?"
"That is At
herton, constable."
"Look here, young gentleman, can you give us any information as towhat occurred?"
The Scout accurately described the appearance of the two men whom hesaw commit the assault. The policeman, hardly able to conceal hissurprise at the detailed description, laboriously wrote theparticulars in his notebook; the Head was also surprised at hispupil's sense of perception. Only Mr Trematon maintained a composedbearing. Inwardly he was proud that his instruction in scoutcraft hadborne such good fruit.
"Let me see," remarked the Rev. Septimus. "Atherton is, I believe,a--er--Scout?"
"Yes, sir," assented the Scoutmaster.
"He ought to be a detective, sir," observed the constable. "Only it'sa great pity he didn't inform us at once. We might have nabbed thoserascals."
"He quite realises that," said the Head. "One thing, he has been themeans of saving life under very trying circumstances. The capture ofthe assailants is, after all, a secondary matter. Trematon, you oughtto be proud of your Scouts if they are all like this one."
"I trust they will prove themselves equal to the occasion shouldnecessity arise, sir," replied the Scoutmaster.
"'Look here, young gentleman, can you give me anyinformation as to what occurred?'"--_Page_ 27.]