The Boy Scouts of Lenox Part 10

"There are only four of them, all told, while we expect to number ten, perhaps a full dozen!" another scout announced.

"I don't believe in knuckling down to any ugly lot of fellows that chooses to knock up against us," and Josh must have expressed the feelings of most of those present when he said this, for there was a chorus of "my sentiments exactly," as soon as he finished.

Then, somehow, all eyes began to turn toward the scout master. They had come to think a great deal of Mr. Witherspoon. He seemed to have a great love for boys implanted in his heart, and was thus an ideal scout master; for there was always an exchange of sympathy between him and his charges.

"You want to know what I think of it, boys?" he started to say.

"It would have a heap of influence on our actions, sir--even if we did hate to play second fiddle to that crowd," admitted Felix.

"But I can see no reason why we should do that," the scout master immediately told them, and at this the anxious look on many faces gave way to one of satisfaction.

"Then you don't want us to give up the Big Bear Mountain hike, and make up another programme; is that it, Mr. Witherspoon?" asked Tom, who had not been quite so much concerned as some of the others, because he believed he knew the nature of their efficient scout master, and that he was not one of the "back-down" kind.

"Why should we do that?" replied the other, quietly. "We are not supposed to be aware of the fact that these four rowdies have gone off in that direction. Our plain duty is to follow out our original plans, go about our own business, interfering with no one, and at the same time standing up for our rights."

At hearing this some of the boys turned and exchanged expressive grins; others even shook hands with each other. Fair play was something they admired above all things; and this manly stand on the part of their scout master pleased them immensely.

"We're all glad to hear you say that, Mr. Witherspoon," the chairman of the meeting told him. "I'm sure I voice the sentiments of every scout present when I say that while we'll try to avoid trouble up to a certain point, there's going to be a limit to our forbearance."

"And the frog-pond cure is always available as a last resort," added the new boy from Winchester.

"Now let us try to forget all about this disagreeable topic, and go on with the discussion concerning the things we should take with us," the scout master suggested. "Scouts should always be able to meet an emergency, no matter how suddenly it is forced on them. We'll be prepared, but at the same time not borrow trouble."

Accordingly all mention of Tony Pollock and his scapegrace cronies was avoided as they once more entered into a warm but perfectly friendly argument.

There was one among them, however, who seemed to still look troubled.

This was no other than Carl Oskamp. Glancing toward his chum several times, Tom could see the lines on his forehead, and he was also able to give a pretty good guess why this should be so.

Of course, it was all on account of the fact that when George made his announcement concerning the movements of Tony Pollock he had stated that Dock Phillips was one of the group that had left town, bent on spending a week on Big Bear Mountain.

This meant that the new scheme which Carl had expected to "try out" on the coming Sat.u.r.day night could not be attempted, because the object of his attention would be far away.

Tom meant to comfort his chum after the meeting, when they were walking home together. He could see further than Carl, and would be able to find more or less encouragement in the way things were working.

Scout affairs were certainly picking up in Lenox of late. Perhaps the coming to town of Rob Shaefer and Stanley Ackerman, who had both belonged to troops in the past, may have had considerable to do with it.

At any rate the new Wolf Patrol numbered five, and other boys were showing a disposition to make application for members.h.i.+p. Rob Shaefer was booked for the patrol leader, because of his previous experience along those lines, as well as the fact that he was becoming well liked in Lenox boy circles.

The other new boy, while a pretty fair sort of fellow, did not have the same winning qualities that Rob did. Some of them even thought he felt envious because of Rob's popularity, though if this were true, he took the wrong means to supplant his rival in the affection of their new friends.

As this would be the last chance to talk things over, every little detail had to be settled before the meeting broke up. Each boy who expected to accompany the expedition starting out to explore Big Bear Mountain was directed what to carry with him.

"And remember," Mr. Witherspoon told them as a final caution, "we expect to do much tramping under a hot June sun, so that every ounce you have to carry along will tell on your condition. Limit your pack to the bare necessities as we've figured them out, and if necessary the strong will a.s.sist the weak. That's about all for to-night, boys. Seven sharp on Monday morning outside the church here, unless it's stormy.

The church bell will ring at six if we are going."

The boys gave a cheer as the meeting broke up. And it was a merry-hearted lot of lads that started forth bound for various homes where there would be more or less of a bustle and excitement until the hour of departure arrived on Monday morning.

Tom and Carl walked home together.

"I could see what ailed you, Carl," the patrol leader was saying as he locked arms with his chum; "you felt as though things were going against you when George announced that Dock had left town."

"Because now I'll not have a chance to try out that second plan we'd arranged for, and which I had great hopes might succeed," complained Carl, gloomily.

"Cheer up," urged the other, in his hearty fas.h.i.+on; "perhaps things are working your way after all. How do we know but that a glorious chance may come up and that you can win out yet? Dock has gone to Big Bear Mountain, where we expect to camp. In a whole week or more we're apt to run across him maybe many times. And Carl, something seems to tell me your chance is going to come while we're off on this hike. Dock hasn't settled with Mr. Culpepper yet, that's certain; and he's got that paper hidden away still. Keep up your hopes, and it's sure to come out all right yet. Besides, think what a grand time we're going to have on our outing!"

CHAPTER X

READY FOR THE START

On the following day, which was Sat.u.r.day, there was considerable visiting among the scouts who so proudly wore their new khaki suits.

Conferences were of hourly occurrence, blankets brought out for inspection and comment, packs made up and taken to pieces again, and all manner of advice asked concerning the best way to carry the same.

Each boy had a written list of what he was expected to provide. This was a part of the wonderful system Tom Chesney had inaugurated. He had told them it was copied from the methods in vogue in the German army, so that in case of a hurried mobilization every man capable of bearing arms in the whole empire would know exactly what his particular duty was.

This scout was to carry a generous frying-pan, made of sheet-steel to reduce the weight; another had to look out for the coffee-pot, which was also to hold enough for at least six thirsty campers. So it went on through the whole list of necessities.

There were to be two messes of five or six each, and the second had a duplicate list of cooking utensils, as well as food to look after.

Nothing had been omitted that Tom, a.s.sisted by several others who had had more or less camping experience, could think of.

It was about eleven this Sat.u.r.day morning when Tom, doing a little work among his vegetables in the kitchen garden, heard his name called.

Glancing up he discovered Carl standing there by the fence that separated the garden from the highway.

Immediately Tom realized that something new must have happened to make his chum appear so downcast. His first fear was that Mr. Culpepper had been asked by Carl's mother for the securities, and had flatly denied ever having had them.

"h.e.l.lo! what's gone wrong now, Carl?" he asked, as he hurried over to join the boy who was leaning both elbows on the picket fence, and holding his head in his hands.

"It seems as though everything is going wrong with us nowadays, Tom,"

sighed poor Carl.

"Anything more about that stolen paper?" asked Tom.

"No, it's something else this time," Carl replied. "Just as if we didn't have enough to worry about already."

"No one sick over at your house, is there?" demanded the other, anxiously.

"I'm glad to say that isn't the case," Carl told him. "Fact is, some bad news came in a letter mother had this morning from a lawyer in the city who manages her small affairs."

"Was it about that tenement house she owns, and the rents from which comes part of her income?" continued Tom, quick to make a guess, for he knew something about the affairs of Carl's folks.

The other nodded his head as he went on to explain:

"It burned down, and through some mistake of a clerk part of the insurance was allowed to lapse, so that we will not be able to collect on more than half. Isn't that hard luck though, Tom?"

"I should say it is," declared the other, with a look of sympathy on his face. "But if it was the fault of the lawyer's clerk why shouldn't he be held responsible for the loss? I'd think that was only fair in the eye of the law."