CHAPTER IV
A QUICK RETURN FOR SERVICES RENDERED
That night turned out clear and frosty. Winter having set in so earlyseemed bent on keeping up its unusual record. The snow on the groundcrackled underfoot in the fashion dear to the heart of every boy wholoves outdoor sports.
Overhead, the bright moon, pretty well advanced, hung in space. It wasclearly evident that no one need think of carrying a lantern with himto the meeting place on such a glorious night.
The Boy Scouts of Stanhope had been fortunate enough to be given theuse of a large room under the church with the clock tower. On coldnights this was always heated for them, so that they found it a mostcomfortable place in which to hold their animated meetings.
There was a large attendance on this occasion, for while possibly fewamong the members of the troop could take advantage of this midwintertrip into the wilds, every boy was curious to know all the details.
In this same spacious room there was fitted up a gymnasium for the useof the boys one night a week, and many of them availed themselves ofthe privilege. As this was to be a regular business meeting, however,the apparatus had been drawn aside so as not to be in the way.
As the roster was being called it might be just as well to give thefull membership of the troop so that the reader may be made acquaintedwith the chosen comrades of Jack and Paul.
The Red Fox Patrol, which contained the "veterans" of theorganization, was made up of the following members:
Paul Morrison; Jack Stormways; Bobolink, the official bugler; BluffShipley, the drummer of the troop; "Nuthin" Cypher; William Carberry;Wallace, his twin brother; and Tom Betts. Paul, as has been said, waspatrol leader, and served also as assistant scout-master when Mr.Gordon was absent from town.
In the second division known as the Gray Fox Patrol were thefollowing:
Jud Elderkin, patrol leader; Joe Clausin, Andy Flinn, Phil Towns,Horace Poole, Bob Tice, Curly Baxter, and Cliff Jones.
The Black Fox Patrol had several absentees, but when all were presentthey answered to their names as below:
Frank Savage, leader; Billie Little, Nat Smith, Sandy Griggs, "Old"Dan Tucker, "Red" Collins, "Spider" Sexton, and last but not least involume of voice, "Gusty" Bellows.
A fourth patrol that was to be called the Silver Fox was almostcomplete, lacking just three members; and those who made up thiswere:
George Hurst, leader; "Lub" Ketcham, Barry Nichols, Malcolm Steele anda new boy in town by the name of Archie Fletcher.
Apparently, the only business of importance before the meeting was inconnection with the scheme to take a midwinter outing, something thatwas looked upon as unique in the annals of the association.
The usual order of the meeting was hurried through, for every one feltanxious to hear what sort of proposition the assistant scout-masterintended to spread before the meeting for approval.
"I move we suspend the rules for to-night, and have an informal talkfor a change!" said Bobolink, when he had been recognized by thechair.
A buzz of voices announced that the idea was favorably received bymany of those present; and, accordingly, the chairman, no other thanPaul himself, felt constrained to put the motion after it had beenduly seconded. He did so with a smile, well knowing what Bobolink'sobject was.
"You have all heard the motion that the rules be suspended for theremainder of the evening," he went on to say, "so that we can have aheart-to-heart talk on matters that concern us just now. All in favorsay aye!"
A rousing chorus of ayes followed.
"Contrary, no!" continued Paul, and as complete silence followed headded hastily: "The motion is carried, and the regular businessmeeting will now stand adjourned until next month."
"Now let's hear what you've been hatching up for us, Paul?" called outBobolink.
"So say we all, Paul!" cried half a dozen eager voices, and the boysleft their seats to crowd around their leader.
"I only hope it's Rattlesnake Mountain we're headed for!" exclaimedTom Betts, who had a warm feeling in his boyish heart for thatparticular section of country, where once upon a time the troop hadpitched camp, and had met with some amusing and thrilling adventures,as described in a previous volume, called "The Banner Boy Scouts on aTour."
"On my part I wish it would turn out to be good old Lake Tokala, wheremy heart has often been centered as I think of the happy days we spentthere."
It was, of course, Bobolink who gave utterance to this sentiment.Perhaps there were others who really echoed his desire, for they hadcertainly had a glorious time of it when cruising in the motor boatsso kindly loaned to them.
Paul held up his hand for silence, and immediately every voice becamestill. Discipline was enforced at these meetings, for the noisy boysand those inclined to play practical pranks had learned long ago theywould have to smother their feelings at such times or be stronglyrepressed by the chair.
"Listen," said the leader, in his clear voice, "you kindly asked me totry to plan a trip for the holidays that would be of the greatestbenefit to us as an organization of scouts. I seriously consideredhalf a dozen plans, among them Rattlesnake Mountain, and Cedar Islandin Lake Tokala. In fact, I was on the point of suggesting that we takethe last mentioned trip when something came up that entirely changedmy plan for the outing."
He stopped to see what effect his words were having. Evidently, he hadaroused the curiosity of the assembled scouts to fever heat, forseveral voices immediately called out:
"Hear! hear! please go on, Paul! We're dying to know what the gameis!"
Paul smiled, as he went on to say:
"I guess you have all been so deeply interested in what was going onto-night, that few of you noticed that we have a friend present whoslipped into the room just as the roll call began. All of you mustknow the gentleman, so it's hardly necessary for me to introduce Mr.Thomas Garrity to you."
Of course, every one turned quickly on hearing this. A figure that hadbeen seated in a dim corner of the assembly room arose, and Bobolinkgasped with a delicious sense of pleasure when he recognized the manwhom he and his fellow scouts had assisted that very afternoon.
"Please come forward, Mr. Garrity," said Paul, "and tell the boys whatyou suggested to me late this afternoon. I'm sure they'd appreciate itmore coming directly from you than getting it secondhand."
While a hum of eager anticipation arose all around, Mr. Garrity madehis way to the side of the patrol leader and president of themeeting.
"I have no doubt," he said, "that those of you who were not presentto-day when our old ice-house fell and caught me in the ruins, haveheard all about the accident, so I need not refer to the incidentexcept to say that I shall never cease to be grateful to the scoutsfor the clever way in which they dug me out of the wreck."
"Hear! hear!" several excited scouts shouted.
"I happened to learn that you were contemplating a trip during theholidays, and when an idea slipped into my mind I lost no time incalling upon Paul Morrison, your efficient leader, in order tointerest him in my plan."
"Hear! hear!"
"It happens that I own a forest cabin up in the wilderness where Ioften go to rest myself and get away from all excitement. It is incharge of a faithful woodsman by the name of Tolly Tip. You can reachit by skating a number of miles up a stream that empties into LakeTokala. The hunting is said to be very good around there, and you willfind excellent pickerel fishing through the ice in Lake Tokala. If youcare to do me the favor of accepting my offer, the services of my manand the use of the cabin are at your disposal. Even then I shall feelthat this is only a beginning of the deep interest I am taking in thescouts' organization; for I have had my eyes opened at last in awonderful manner."
As Mr. Garrity sat down, rosy-red from the exertion of speaking to aparty of boys, Paul immediately rapped for order, and put thequestion.
"All who are in favor of accepting this generous offer say yes!" andevery boy joined in the vociferous shout that arose.