CHAPTER XXI
THE MEETING
"How are you, Paul?"
It was Mr. Jared Pender who came out of the post-office as Paul happenedto be passing the next day, and addressed the boy he had met on thepreceding evening at the house of the Stormways.
"Why, how do you do, Mr. Pender? Been at work, I see," replied Paul, witha suggestive look in the direction of the post-office.
The tall dark gentleman looked a little perplexed, and followed Paul'sglance. Then an expression of understanding passed over his face.
"Ah! yes, I see, you are a good guesser, Paul. But please do not mentionthe fact to any one. We Government officials sometimes have to work_sub rosa_, as the saying is; that means without any one knowing what weare at. You understand, Paul?"
"Yes, sir, I guess I do; but I hope there's nothing wrong here at ourpost-office. We all think the world of Mr. Mygatt, and his clerks," saidPaul.
"Oh! don't mention such a thing. We have to investigate many times justto discover how smoothly things are going on. Isn't that Jack's dogcoming out with a package of papers in his mouth? Has he actually beendown for the mail?" went on the gentleman.
"That's Carlo, all right. Sometimes they give him the mail when there areno letters, as you see."
"And will he carry the bundles home safely, without stopping to play withother dogs, or to fight?"
"Oh! Carlo knows his duty. He never forgets what is expected of him.There, sir, look at him halting for a minute at the open door of thebutcher shop, to wag his tail, and peep in. It smells mighty inviting tohim, I wager; but will he go in? Not much. See, there he goes along,heading straight for home. If another dog picked a fight with him, Carlowould lay that package down, give the cur a good licking, then pick thepapers up again, and trot along."
"I see you know his traits well, Paul," remarked the gentleman, smiling.
"Some of them, but not all. He's a great dog, all right, and Jack's fondof him."
"I suppose money couldn't buy him, then?" suggested Mr. Pender.
"It would be useless to try it, sir, I think. Will you stay long with Mr.Stormways?"
"That I cannot say. My business may be completed in a day, and it maykeep me in this vicinity for a week. That depends on circumstances. Youhave been around more or less, Paul; do you happen to remember seeing alarge red touring car, with a khaki-colored cover, and occupied by twomen, one of whom has a glass eye?"
Paul stared at the tall gentleman, as though he thought at first theother might be joking him; but seeing not a ripple of a smile on the darkface, he changed his mind.
"Why, no, sir; I can't seem to remember seeing that particular car. Ofcourse red ones are common; but most of them have black tops, if any atall. Some friends of yours, Mr. Pender?" he remarked, naturally.
The gentleman allowed just a twinkle to appear in the corners of his eyesas he nodded his head, and said:
"Well, er--yes, very particular friends of mine, Paul, and whom I wouldbe glad to see again right now. If you happen to sight such a machine,and I am still at my old friend, Stormways, I wish you would let me knowabout it."
"I certainly will, sir; and perhaps you'd like me to speak to thegentlemen, and tell them how anxious you are to see them?" Paul went on;at which the other gave a laugh.
"I see you are on to me, my boy. You guess that such is the very lastthing I would want you to do. Now, I'm going to take you into myconfidence, Paul," he went on, bending his head lower, and giving a quickglance around.
"Yes, sir; that's very kind of you, Mr. Pender," said the lad, smiling.
"Oh! I don't know. I have an axe to grind in doing so; for I believethat you can be of assistance to me. The two men in that motor car arecriminals, for whose capture I have come to this part of the country,Paul."
"Goodness! that sounds interesting, sir. What have they been doing?"asked the young scout leader, with boyish curiosity brimming over.
"I won't tell you that, Paul; but they are wanted by the Government. Andsometimes we agents have to go about our business with great caution, inorder to discover enough evidence on the suspects to convict. So, aboveall things, I do not wish to alarm these clever gentlemen unduly, lestthey manage to hide, or get rid of the only burden of proof. In otherwords, as a common expression has it, I want to get them with the goodson. You understand?"
"Yes, sir; I think I do. And if I see or hear anything about that redcar, I'll tell you. But is it true that you and Jack's father were chumslong ago?"
"That's the positive truth, my boy," replied the agent, nodding; "why, wetook several voyages together, and had lots of queer adventures. I neverdreamed that my wild old friend Alan would settle down to this humdrumlife, as a lumber merchant, and the head of a family. But I suppose itall came of his meeting a girl. And after knowing his fine wife I don'tblame him a bit; though I've kept right along in the same old groove, andsee more or less of adventure."
"He's a mighty fine man, and they think lots of him here," declared Paul,who was amazed to learn that his chum's parent could have, once upon atime, been reckoned a wild blade.
Paul walked on with his lips puckered up as if whistling, and his facefilled with the new interest that had taken possession of him.
He had read accounts in the papers of Boy Scouts being concerned in manyuseful enterprises; and he wondered whether he and his patrol might notfind a chance to assist the officers of justice in rounding up a coupleof rogues who had apparently broken the laws of the land.
Then other things came up to draw his attention elsewhere.
He ran across boys on the street, who asked dozens of questions about themany interesting features of the new organization.
These were often lads who had begun to think of uniting with one of therival troops; and Paul was only too glad to give them all the informationin his power.
They wanted more recruits, provided the applicants were of the rightsort. Those their committee rejected might find solace in joining forceswith Ted's crowd, who, not being at all particular, would receive themwith open arms.
That afternoon there was another meeting in the woods, at which everymember of Stanhope Troop No 1, as they now determined to call theirorganization, did his best to be present.
Paul had given several of the boys duties to perform, that were part andparcel of the grand scheme to whip his company into first-class shape ina shorter time than it had taken any other troop.
Reports were received and filed of numerous things done which would countin the final summing up. These were to be accompanied by vouchers fromthe persons interested, which could be filed away for inspection when thecommittee appointed by the giver of the fine banner looked through therecords of the several patrols competing for the prize.
Andy Flinn and Philip Towns reported that they had cleaned up thebeautiful green in front of the town high school, and which was generallyknown as the campus. It was kept mowed by the town authorities; butnumerous scraps of paper and trash, blowing hither and thither in thewind, gave it an unsightly appearance.
"Never forget that you have taken our campus under your protecting care,Numbers Three and Four of the Gray Fox patrol," said the head scout,after reading the report; "of course it is always your privilege toenlist smaller boys in the job, if you can do so without actually hiringthem. That is expressly forbidden."
Then came Wallace Carberry and Tom Betts, telling how they had starteda crusade to cover the entire town with receptacles to contain strayrubbish. Half a dozen cans had already been ordered, each one of whichwas to have in startling red letters the significant picture of a staringeye, and followed by the words, "Eat Trash!"
"We've got a contribution box ready, and every scout is privileged todrop in pennies and nickels that he has earned. No others accepted; andno larger amount at one time from any boy desired. Have already enough topay for two of the cans; and hope to increase the order soon!"
Cheers greeted this announcement. Others, who had heard about the goodwork being started
by Numbers Seven and Eight of the Red Fox patrol,arose to announce that their mothers had promised to throw all sorts ofopportunities for earning money in their way, if it was to be devotedto such a fine purpose.
"The Women's Club is to bring this thing up at its next meeting. Mymother says it shames them to know that the boys of the town are takingsuch a leading part in cleaning it up," said Bobolink, when he found anopening.
"Who's next to report?" asked Jack, who had charge of this end of themeeting; while the "honorable secretary" made notes, and filed away thevarious papers submitted.
Immediately all eyes were turned toward Bobolink and Bluff, which teamwas known as Three and Four.
Bluff started to rise, when a groan greeted him; but he was not dismayed.
"Our r-r-report will be d-d-delivered b-b-by my c-c-confederate!" hesimply said, and subsided with a grin, as though he thought he hadhoodwinked his friends.
Bobolink arose slowly. When he chose he could be very tantalizing; thoughin an emergency none might excel him in speedy action. But when he hadsomething to tell that he knew was being eagerly awaited, he liked tokeep his chums in suspense just as long as he dared.
Immediately all sounds died away. Every one seemed to know that NumbersThree and Four had been delegated to attempt an actual scouting trip thatmorning, into a hostile territory, so as to learn what progress a rivalcamp was making in the various degrees of efficiency.
They had already heard about Manchester, and a few believed that theywould have little difficulty in excelling that town when it came downto an actual test.
With Aldine it was different. From all sources had come hints to theeffect that the troop in that town was working most faithfully, with aneye on that coveted banner. And every scout in Paul's patrol felt wild toknow how much truth there might be in these reports.