CHAPTER IV
THE FIRST SCOUT LEADER
Paul had said that he would be away the greater part of the day, hisfather having asked him to go to the city on an important errand.
Consequently there was no opportunity for the two chums to confer uponany 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 patrolin Stanhope.
As usual Paul called for Jack, and as the latter's parents knew what wason tap, there was no opposition shown to his going out.
"Has anything happened to-day?" whispered the visitor, as he was joinedby Jack in the hall.
"Yes, I was out a lot with the fellows, and doing some chores around; butI mustered up enough courage just before supper to go upstairs," repliedthe other, his voice giving plain warning as to what was to follow, forit 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'sgetting to be a regular clock-like piece of business. And after whatfather 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 anervous look over his shoulder, as though afraid lest his brother popout on them unawares.
As they walked slowly along the road he spoke in the affectionate mannerin which Mr. Stormways had declared his utmost faith in the honesty andintegrity of his two boys.
"But you're not sure that Karl has anything to do with the disappearingcoins. 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 cometo see me. No, the more I think about it the worse I feel. But I guessyou didn't have any time to see old Doc. Thomes before you went to thecity, did you?"
"That's just what I did, dropped into his shop, told him I was going downto New York on business for dad, and asked if I could do anything forhim."
"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 packagehe wanted to send in to a dealer on Fourteenth Street, and would be gladif 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 yourhorses, 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 ofChinese and Japanese coins old Captain Crocker owned. His widow had nouse for them, and needed the money."
"Oh, you gave me a scare, Paul; but I'm glad you saw them, for I'd alwaysimagine mine must have been in the lot; not that I care a bit for the oldthings 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 hisshop, for he was pleased to let me root around. And Jack, not a singleone of your missing pieces has he got, depend on it."
"Oh! well," remarked Jack, arousing himself, "let's try and forget mytroubles 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 tasteseven 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 ifdetermined 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 hadmuch chance to soak it in, but what I did read interested me a wholelot," returned the doctor's son.
"Well, I thought of a friend I had over in Manchester, and this afternoonI took my wheel and jumped down there, crossing by the bridge. Just as Ihoped, Landy is a member of the troop there, and he gladly told me all heknew about the business. I'm more than ever tickled at the idea of ourhaving a branch up here, to compete with the neighboring towns. He toldme 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, whichhe endorses through and through. The result is that he has offered abeautiful banner to the organization that can show the highest degree ofefficiency, 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 busybefore 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, andmust be up in many of the things that count. But then, they haven't gotPaul Morrison at the head as scout leader, and that means everything inour favor," declared Jack, warmly.
"Please cut that out after this. It's true that I've always been deeplyinterested in many things connected with life in the woods; but you seethat's only one part of a good scout's credit marks. In fact, there'shardly one thing in all the trades and professions that is omitted fromthe list. Only he must _excel_ in all he undertakes. And soon we willhave to find a young man over twenty-one who will act as our scoutmaster."
"Hold up, there's Bobolink hurrying to catch us; and he acts as if hemight be the bearer of important news," remarked Jack, who had heard ahail 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 overground. 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'vegot 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 anythinggoing on, Ted would be apt to have a finger in the pie," returned theother, 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 atour church (my mother is at the head of a committee, you know) when heasked me if I was going to join the new Boy Scout patrol that was beingorganized in Stanhope."
"Whew, but those fellows don't believe in letting the grass grow undertheir feet, do they? Never thought a thing about it till they heard ustalking matters over; and here they're getting all the credit for beingfirst in the field," and Jack shrugged his shoulders ruefully as hespoke.
"Didn't I say we'd have to get up early in the morning if we hoped tokeep 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. Hesaid he was delighted, and I guess he meant it too. The more patrols thebetter for the community, he said. And he seemed to know all about themeaning 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 highlycomplimented, knowing that whoever succeeds in getting the approval oflive, 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 enrolla 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, whoas host was much in evidence. Besides Tom Bates, the new boys were PhilipTowns, Jud Elderkin, Joe Clausin and Andy Flinn; the l
atter of Irishparentage, but well liked, even though his widowed mother had to takein washing to provide food for the numerous mouths dependent on her.
Andy was a particularly bright boy, and many declared that he had afuture before him, if only he kept away from the one curse of hisfather's life, rum. But as he hated the very word drink, there seemed tobe little danger that he would be apt to follow in the footsteps of thebrilliant man who had fallen so early in life, and left a family nearlydestitute.
"Meeting please come to order," called Paul, after he had been pushedinto a chair to serve as temporary chairman.
Soon the boys began to go into the details of the projected troop, itsmeaning, what good it might be expected to accomplish, and everythingconnected 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, assome particularly fine point happened to strike them.
"That ought to do for the present," said Paul, finally, as he closed thebook 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 allabout the hundreds of fine things scouts can do. I'm a crank on makingfires, and I guess I'd qualify right easy for the championship in thattournament!" exclaimed William Carberry, his face aglow.
"Yes, and I remember the time he nearly burned our house down, trying tostart a blaze without a match. He got the fire all right; but there was alively time around there, until the bucket brigade arrived, and slushedthings 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 thefellows in the room sign it as charter members. Then we'll try to doubleour dozen by a week, and rush things along. We already have enough forthe first patrol and half a second. If we expect to compete with thoseother troops in the struggle for supremacy we've got to be awake anddoing."
"You never said truer words, Paul. What sort of a binding agreement hadwe ought to get up?" asked Bobolink, pretending that it was Tom Bates whospoke; for really the boy had a wonderful gift of ventriloquism, andoften amused himself, and his friends as well, by sending his voice intostrange 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 theground. If you listen now, I'll read it to you," returned the chairman.
"Hear! hear ye! All keep silent while our honored chairman reads thedocument to which we expect to subscribe our names and seals!" calledWilliam, pompously.
What Paul had written was simply that those whose names were found belowhad united themselves together with the idea of forming a troop thatcould be connected with the regular Boys Scout organization asincorporated.
Then every boy present wrote his name beneath the agreement, after whichthey went into executive session, the parents of A. Cypher being kindlybut firmly requested to retire from the room, while the election ofofficers proceeded, and other necessary steps were taken to perfect thefirst patrol.
So the first patrol of Stanhope Troop was organized, and consisted of theeight originators of the scheme. It was decided to call this the Red Foxpatrol. As fast as others were arranged for they could take on such namesas Gray Fox, White Fox and even Black Fox.
Later on they hoped to secure a scout master, but just now with Paul andWallace brimming over with woods' lore, the lack of such an officer wouldnot bother them.
The meeting ended in Paul being placed in the honored position of scoutleader, with the second position being thrust on Jack Stormways, thoughhe declared that Wallace Carberry was far better qualified to fill itthan he ever could be.
But Paul was satisfied to have it so. Jack was his favorite chum; and hewould be thrown much in his company. Besides, the desire to study up therules, and perfect himself in all that an assistant scout master shouldknow, might for a time at least take Jack's thoughts away from thesubject of his trouble at home.
Before the boys left they were summoned to the dining room, whererefreshments were placed before them; and when the meeting did finallybreak up every fellow felt deep down in his heart that an important stephad been taken toward raising the standard of living among the risinggeneration of Stanhope.
Finally, as the hour had grown fairly late it was suggested that theyleave in a body, since all military organizations did this.
"And," continued the one who had put this idea forward, "while we havenothing to do with the army itself, we expect to be governed by certainmilitary rules. What say, fellows?"
"Fall in! fall in!"
Out of the door they marched, and down the steps, two by two; BluffShipley, who was paired with Nuthin', being the lone straggler in therear, since his mate remained at home.
If he experienced the slightest sense of dejection at being compelled towalk without a side partner, it was of very brief duration.
Outside it was very dark, and this condition seemed more or lessheightened by the fact that the eyes of the young scouts had becomeaccustomed to the glow of the rooms they had just left.
Consequently there was more or less chance of some one tripping on thesteps, and pulling others down with him.
"'Ware the fourth step; it's shaky and may throw you, boys!" sang outNuthin'.
Hardly had he spoken than the first pair executed a beautiful forwardbow, 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 nextpair found the obstruction for themselves, and came plunging down on topof those already landed.
Two more were close behind, so nearly upon the heels of the second pairthat 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 thesteps, while the balance of the patrol huddled just above, looking withamazement at the dimly seen spectacle.
From somewhere near by, possibly the shelter of some bushes, came gurglesof boyish laughter, and jeering words in assumed voices.
No need to tell Paul and his friends to whose kind attention they owedthis unexpected downfall. Ted Slavin and his backers had not been idlewhile the new patrol was being organized in the home of Nuthin'. They hadfastened a stout rope across the lower step, and succeeded in trippinghalf of their rivals.
Paul managed to scramble to his feet, hardly knowing whether to laugh, orget angry at this practical joke on the part of the opposition.