CHAPTER V
CHECKING A COWARD
"It's that Slavin crowd!" exclaimed Jack, as he gained his feet.
"Let's capture some of them, then!" shouted William, always ready forbattle, as was also Bluff Shipley, whose hands were never bothered withimpediments as was his speech.
A rush was made for the bushes, and retreating footsteps announced thehasty departure of the enemy.
None of the new scouts seemed to care about following very far. They knewTed of old, and feared lest they be drawn into a trap, so that their lastcondition would be really worse than the first.
"No damage done, after all," remarked Paul, as he brushed off hisclothes; while the others gathered around, and Nuthin' came down tosecure the treacherous rope.
"Barked my shins some, now; and sooner or later I've just got to take itout of that crowd!" muttered William, limping around, and shaking hishead.
"Better do it soon, then," observed Bobolink, "for after you've takenthe oath of allegiance to the scouts you dassent tackle a feller withoutlosing marks."
"H'm! is that so?" grunted the injured member, regretfully; for to bedeprived of the boon of fighting would be taking some of the joys of lifeaway from the pugnacious Carberry twin.
"Fall in again, boys!" said Paul, cheerily.
"Not the same way, I hope, captain!" ventured Bobolink; at which therewas a laugh, and the incident seemed closed.
The boys had no doubt but that their rivals must have been observing muchthat went on in the lighted rooms, possibly also trying to catch what wasbeing said.
"What of it?" demanded Paul, when some one suggested this; "if they heardwhat I read out of that manual so much the better. Let them subscribe tothose rules, and life will be worth living alongside Ted and hiscronies."
"But you see they just can't!" declared Bobolink, quickly.
"Which is to say they won't. All right. Once we get out troop formed,public sentiment will be on our side. If they try to worry us the goodpeople of Stanhope, backed by the Women's Club, will see to it that thenuisance is stopped. Isn't that so, Paul?" remarked Jack, with convictionin his voice.
"Them's my sentiments, as some character in fiction used to remark. Wecan afford to laugh at all these little plans to annoy us. Of course, ifthey go too far, why we may have to turn and do something ourselves,"said Paul, seriously.
"Bully! Hasten the time!" cried William, ceasing to limp for the momentin his new delight.
"Oh! but Paul doesn't mean a regular give and take fight. If we pitch inat all, I'm afraid it'll have to be doling out punishment in the way thegood dad does when he plies the stick and says it hurts him worse than itdoes the bad kid," declared Bobolink; at which there was a roar.
On the following day there was more or less skirmishing about town byvarious eager lads, seeking recruits for the rival troops.
Paul was as busy as a beaver, and at several points conferred with someof his followers. He had sent for more manuals, besides a price list ofuniforms, and other equipments necessary to the complete organization ofthe Fox Patrol and Stanhope Troop No. 1.
Leading citizens began to take an interest in the movement, as theygrew to understand its true significance. Stanhope seemed to be fairlysizzling with a new and novel energy. Even the meeting of the Women'sClub that afternoon was given up partly to a discussion of the merits ofthe Boy Scout wave then sweeping over the land; and ladies who had beendecidedly averse to such a thing found their eyes opened to itsbeneficial accompaniments.
As was to be expected, the recruiting was not confined to Paul and hischums. Ted Slavin and Ward Kenwood were just as vigorously employed; andseveral times in the course of the day the rivals ran across each otherwhile engaged in thus drumming up new subjects for initiation.
On such occasions there was apt to be something in the way of verbalfireworks passing between the opposing scouts. Ted Slavin seldom knew howto bridle that tongue of his; and Ward Kenwood seemed to be in a nastyhumor himself.
To tell the truth there had long been a sort of rivalry between Paul andWard over the smiles of pretty Arline Blair; and latterly the high schoolgirl seemed to be giving young Morrison more than his share of hercompany.
That afternoon about four o'clock, as Paul and two of his chums werepassing along one of the side streets of the town they came upon a scenethat caused a sudden halt.
The blustering voice of Ted Slavin was what first drew their attention;and it seemed to come from around the next corner. Then followed aquavering voice, pleading in its tone.
Paul looked at his friends, and his brow darkened.
"It's old Mother Martha, the market woman who sells things in her littlestall around here. And some of those mean skunks are plaguing her, likethey often do, she tells me, stealing her apples, and laughing at her,because she's lame with the rheumatism, and can't chase after 'em!" saidWilliam, who happened to be one of the trio brought to a halt sosuddenly.
"Come on, then; we can't stand that!" exclaimed Paul.
The boys hurriedly turned the corner, to find that what William hadsuggested seemed to be the actual truth.
Ted and a follower were hovering near the poor old woman. The fact thatTed was contentedly munching a red apple told that he had already madehis hawk-like descent on the stand of the market woman, and was nowseeking to distract her attention so that his companion might also swoopdown to seize a prize, when they would go off, laughing uproarously, asthough they considered it a huge joke.
Paul was on the bully in a flash, and almost before Ted knew of hispresence he had torn the apple from his grasp and hurled it far away.
"Get out of this, you coward!" exclaimed the scout leader of the newpatrol, as he gave Ted Slavin a push; "I'm going to speak to the chief ofpolice about the way you rob this good woman, and see if he won't stopit. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, both of you!"
William and Bluff were for jumping at the two offenders, and giving thema lesson then and there; but with both arms Paul held his fire-eatersback.
"Let 'em come on, if they want to mix up with us. We can take care oftwo, and think it a picnic. P'raps even three wouldn't be too much, if sobe you want to try it on, Paul Morrison. Huh! there comes another bunchof your sissies. Seven against two might make it too interestin', so we'dbetter skip out, Scissors. But you just wait, that's all. I don't forgetyou laid a hand on me; and some time I'm going to take it out."
"Oh! suit yourself, Ted," answered the other, promptly. "I'm ready tohave a go at you when you're ready, if you force me to the wall. I'm nota fighter, but when I see a couple of rowdies treating a poor old womanlike you did, it makes me see red."
With derisive jeers the pair faded away as several boys came running tothe spot, having seen the group, and guessing from the presence of thetwo rival leaders that there must be something doing.
Their indignation was boundless when they learned what new meanness thecoming of Paul and his two chums had interrupted.
It required considerable persuasion on the part of the scout leader toprevent an immediate chase of the culprits.
"Let them go this time," said Paul, impressively; "but I'm going to seewhat can be done to put a stop to this rowdyism. It gives the boys ofStanhope a bad name all around. I told Ted I'd speak to Chief Billingsabout it."
"You won't get any too much satisfaction there," remarked wise Nuthin';"because, you see the Chief owes his position to the political influenceof Mr. Kenwood; and as Ward runs with Ted he won't dare do anything forfear of offending the head of the party. We've just _got_ to find a wayourselves to change things."
"Well, I'll ask my father about it. Perhaps he can suggest a plan. Heused to be a boy himself once, and never forgets it either," was Paul'sconclusion, as they each bought an apple from the old woman to make herforget her recent trouble, and then walked away, followed by her earnestthanks.
"Say, but time just crawls along," observed William, dolefully; "because,you see, I'm dying to get to work and win some of them merits
you told usabout. Just set me the stunt of making water boil over a fire I have tokindle, and I'll do it in three shakes of a lamb's tail. The rest of youwill be left hull down. And then there's lots of other jobs that lookgood to me. Let's get a move on, and start the ball rolling. When's thenext meeting, Paul?"
"To-night, and once more at the barn where we were first. This timeI figure on having nearly twenty present, and that will make thingsinteresting."
"Same hour as before--eight o'clock?" asked Bobolink.
"Yes. And if any of you feel that you are qualified to take theexamination for the first degree, so as to become real tenderfeet in theScouts, why, I'll be in trim to put you through your sprouts," announcedthe leader.
"That hits me," declared William; "for I've been studying to beat theband, and believe I'll pass muster with flying colors. Me for thetenderfoot class!"
"And I've just used up a whole ball of twine tying all those measlyknots," declared Nuthin'; after which his face brightened when he added:"but I can do every one just like an old jack tar. My dad was once asailor you know, and that's where I've got the bulge on the rest of you.So-long, boys; I'm going home to try again."