CHAPTER V
THE BLACK BEAR PATROL
It was a lively scene in the room under the church when the meeting wascalled to order by Mr. Witherspoon, the civil engineer and surveyor. Adozen boys were on hand, several having come from curiosity, andmeaning to join the scouts later on if they saw reason to believe itwould amount to anything.
Besides the boys there were present Judge Stone, his friend thehermit-naturalist, Larry Henderson, and two fathers, who had droppedaround to learn whether this new-fangled movement for the risinggeneration meant that the boys were to be secretly trained forsoldiers, as so many people believed.
Robert Witherspoon having once been a scout master knew how to manage ameeting of this sort. After he had called it to order he made a neatlittle speech, and explained what a wonderful influence for good theorganization had been in every community where it had been tested.
He read various extracts from the scout manual to show the lofty aimsof those who had originated this idea which was taking the world bystorm.
"The boys have been neglected far too long," he told them; "and it hasbeen decided that if we want a better class of men in the world we mustbegin work with the boy. It is the province of this scout movement tomake duty so pleasant for the average lad that he will be wild toundertake it."
In his little talk to the boys Mr. Witherspoon mentioned the fact thatone of the greatest charms of becoming scouts was that growing habit ofobserving all that went on around them.
"When you're in town this may not seem to be much of a thing afterall," he had gone on to say; "but in the woods you will find it an everincreasing fascination, as the wonders of nature continue to beunfolded before your eyes. We are fortunate to have with us to-night agentleman who is known all over the country as a naturalist and loverof the great outdoors. I think it will be worth our while to listenwhile he tells us something of the charming things to be found instudying nature. Mr. Henderson I'm going to ask you to take up as muchtime as you see fit."
When Tom and Carl and some of the other boys did that little favor forMr. Larry Henderson they were inclined to fancy that he was ratherrough in his manner.
He had not been talking five minutes however, before they realized thathe was a born orator, and could hold an audience spell-bound by hiseloquence. He thrilled those boys with the way in which he describedthe most trivial happening in the lonely wilds. They fairly hung uponhis every sentence.
"When you first commence to spend some time in the woods, boys," hetold them, "it will seem very big and lonesome to you. Then as you cometo make the acquaintance of Br'er 'Coon and Mr. Fox and the friskychipmunk and all the rest of the denizens, things will take on adifferent color. In the end you will feel that they are all your verygood friends, and nothing could tempt you to injure one of the happyfamily.
"Yes, it is true that occasionally I do trap an animal but only when Ifind it a discordant element in the group. Some of them prey uponothers, and yet that is no excuse why man should step in andexterminate them all, as he often does just for the sake of a fewdollars."
This sort of talk roused the enthusiasm of the boys, and when after awhile Mr. Witherspoon put the question as to how many of them felt likeimmediately signing the roster roll so as to start the first patrol ofthe intended troop, there was a good deal of excitement shown.
First of all Tom Chesney signed, and immediately after him came Carl,Felix, Josh and George. By the time these five names had appeared Joshhad slipped his arm through that of Walter Douglass and brought him upto the table to place his signature on the list.
"We need two more to make up the first patrol," announced Mr.Witherspoon. "Unless eight are secured we cannot hope to get ourcharter from scout headquarters, because that is the minimum number ofa troop. I sincerely hope we may be able to make so much progressto-night at this meeting that I can write to-morrow to obtain thenecessary authority for acting as your scout master."
At that another boy who had been anxiously conferring with his fatherwalked forward.
"Good for you, Billy Button!" called out Josh. "That makes seven, andwe only need one more name. Horace, are you going to see this grandscheme fall through for lack of just a single name? Your sig would lookmighty good to the rest of us at the end of that list." Then he endedwith an air of assumed dignity, "Horace, your country calls you; willit call in vain?"
Horace Herkimer Crapsey was the boy who had been spoken of as a daintydude, who hated to soil his white hands. Tom had expressed it as hisopinion that if only Horace could be coaxed to join the troop it wouldprove to be the finest thing in the world for him. He had the making ofa good scout only for those faults which other boys derided as sillyand girlish. He was neat to a painful degree, and that is always lookedon as a sort of crime by the average boy.
Horace evidently had been greatly taken by the combined talk of thescout master and the old hermit-naturalist. To the great delight ofJosh, as well as most of the other boys, he now stepped forward andplaced his name on the list.
"That makes eight, and enough for the first patrol," announced Mr.Witherspoon, with a pleased look; "we can count on an organization nowas a certainty. All of you will have to start in as tenderfeet, becauseso far you have had no experience as scouts; but unless I miss my guessit will be only a short time before a number of you will be applyingfor the badge of second-class scouts."
"That's just what we will, sir!" cried Josh, brimming over withenthusiasm.
"We cannot elect a patrol leader just now," continued Mr. Witherspoon,"until there are some of you who are in the second class; but that willcome about in good time. But it is of considerable importance what nameyou would like to give this first patrol of the new Lenox Troop of BoyScouts."
There was a conference among the boys, and all sorts of suggestionswere evidently being put forward. Finally Tom Chesney seemed to havebeen delegated as usual to act as spokesman.
"Mr. Chairman," he said, rising from his seat, "my comrades of LenoxTroop have commissioned me to say they would like to ask Mr. Hendersonto name the first patrol for them. They believe they will be perfectlysatisfied with any name he may think best to give them."
Judge Stone smiled, and nodded his head as though he considered thisquite a neat little compliment for his good old friend. And thenaturalist was also evidently pleased as he got upon his feet.
"After all, boys," he told them, "it is a matter of very littleconsequence what you call this fine patrol. There are a dozen namesthat suggest themselves. Since you have a Bear Mountain within half adozen miles of your town suppose you call it the Black Bear Patrol."
There was a chorus of approving assents, and it looked as though not asingle objection was to be offered.
"The black bear is an American institution, you might say," Mr.Henderson continued, when this point had been settled, "and next to theeagle is recognized as distinctive. From what I have heard said thisevening it seems to me also that the Boy Scouts of America differ fromany other branch of the movement in many ways."
"Above all things," exclaimed Mr. Witherspoon, "in that there isnothing military about the movement over here. In Europe scouts are inone sense soldiers in the making. They all expect to serve the colorssome day later on. We do not hold this up before our boys; though neveronce doubting that in case a great necessity arose every full-fledgedscout would stand up for his country's honor and safety."
"Every time!" exclaimed the impetuous Josh.
Long they lingered there, discussing many things connected with thesecuring of their uniforms, after the proper time had elapsed. Variousschemes were suggested whereby each boy could earn enough money to payfor his outfit; because that was one of the important stipulations madein joining a troop, no candidate being allowed to accept help insecuring his suit.
Before the meeting was adjourned it was settled that they were to cometogether every Friday night; and meanwhile each member of the BlackBear Patrol expected to qualify for the grade of second-class scoutjust as soon as hi
s month of membership as arranged under the bylaws ofthe order had expired.