CHAPTER XIX "SO LONG--SEE YOU LATER!"
It was the afternoon of the following day when the little flotilla,running past the island of Valcour, sighted a promontory straight aheadand a little later discovered it to be the embracing arm which forms theouter boundary of Cumberland Bay.
As they sailed into this spacious haven they could see, a little to thenorthwest, a large field dotted with innumerable tents, which on closerview they saw to be arranged with the utmost squareness and precision, inavenues.[3] Their first sight of the famous training camp made TempleCamp seem very insignificant indeed. Out in the lake was a bobbing buoywith a bulls-eye target upon it, and a group of khaki-clad rookies werepelting this with rifle shot. In an open part of the field severalcompanies were drilling and the crisp orders of their officer could beplainly heard across the water.
"Hurrah for Preparedness!" shouted Roy, throwing his hat in the air.
They had been a rather sober party of voyagers during this last part oftheir trip and Roy's accustomed spirit seemed to have gone from him, butit came back now with a rush and as usual it had a contagious effect onthe others.
"Hurrah for Uncle Sam!" shouted Pee-wee, grabbing the naval flag from thestern and waving it frantically.
"They look like scouts, don't they?" said Mr. Ellsworth.
"Oh, cracky," enthused Pee-wee. "I'm glad we came!"
"Altogether!" called Mr. Ellsworth, looking over to the smaller boat."Hoop it up, Tom! Hurrah for Preparedness!"
"We thought of it first," called Connie. "Uncle Sam swiped it from us.Come on, let's give 'em our own call!"
"_Be prepared! Be prepared! Be prepared!_"
And so, shouting lustily the motto of the scouts the boats came alongsidethe landing and were met by several smiling rookies, off duty.
"Are we pinched?" asked Mr. Ellsworth, laughing as he stepped ashore.
"No, indeed; you're welcome," said a bronzed rookie.
Pee-wee was not to be repressed by any formal greeting, howeverhospitable. He stood upon the _Honor Scout's_ cabin, waving the navalflag in one hand and his scout hat in the other, like some frantic,idiotic form of semaphoring.
"Hurrah for Uncle Sam!" he shrieked, hilariously. "Hurrah forPreparedness! Hurrah for Platts----"
He stopped short, gaping like an idiot. The flag fell from his handunheeded.
"_Look--look!_," he gasped.
"What is it, the Germans?" asked a rookie, looking around.
"_Look--look!_" he gasped.
They looked, and there, sitting astride a piece of artillery not far fromshore, his legs dangling and a merry smile upon his face, was thefreckled scout!
No sign of scratch or bruise was there about him, and if he had been shotout of the mouth of the cannon he was straddling he could hardly havecaused greater consternation. Plattsburg, preparedness, Uncle Sam, mustbe content with back seats, as this freckled youngster descended nimblyfrom the cannon and came smiling toward his brother scouts.
"_Aren't--you--dead?_" ejaculated Pee-wee.
"Not so you'd notice it," said the freckled boy with a surprised laugh.
"You don't find many dead ones among the scouts, I guess," said anofficer, who had come down to confirm the rookies' welcome.
"You said something," said Roy.
"I remember you three fellows," said the freckled scout. "Don't youremember? I was in that store in Albany----"
"Sure, we got lost," began Roy.
"Shhh," interrupted Artie.
"We--we thought you were dead," said Tom, startled somewhat out of hisusual composure.
"Dead? No," laughed the boy. "I haven't been dead for quite a while.What's the idea?"
"Have--have you got anything the matter with you?" stammered Pee-wee,staring blankly at him.
"I've got a wart on my left thumb," said the freckled scout, "but thatwon't stop me helping Uncle Sam if we have to scrap it out with Germany."
"Haven't you got anything else the matter with you?" Pee-wee askedimploringly. "Even if you're alive, you ought to have _something_ thematter with you---- Gee!"
The freckled scout began to laugh and then came _his_ surprise, for hebroke off as Garry came ashore, and grasped him by the hand.
"Hello, Everson," said he. "Don't you know me?"
"For the love of tripe!" said Garry. "You don't live in Warrentown, doyou? Down near Edgevale?"
"Sure, when I'm alive," laughed the freckled scout. "But these fellowsseem to think I ought to be dead. What's the idea, anyway?"
"Well, what _are_ you doing alive, I'd like to know," said Garry."Fellows, this is--Everett, I think your name is, isn't it?"
"Warren Everett," said the boy.
"I thought I recognized you," said Garry. "I didn't get a good enoughsquint at you down the lake yesterday--if that _was_ you."
"Sure it was me--I saw you fellows out there in the boats. I see I've gotyou all guessing."
"Where's the other fellow?"
"Oh, he's knocking around somewhere in camp here. We just canoed up for asquint at the place. I've often seen you in Warrentown," he added,turning again to Garry. "I heard you fellows over in Edgevale started atroop."
"It fizzled out," said Garry, resting his arm on Raymond's shoulder."We're the last of our race. But, for goodness' sakes, tell us how youcome to be alive, anyway? We saw you fall down that cliff----"
Warren Everett laughed again. "You see it was this way," said he. "On ourway up the Hudson we ran into a moving picture bunch. They had a biglaunch and a hydro-aeroplane----"
"A what?" said Tom.
"They said we were just the fellows they wanted because there was a scenethey were going to make where a scout climbs up a steep mountain and thenslips and falls down. They wanted to take pictures of him climbing andthen more of him falling. They had the hill all picked out and theywanted to know if I'd climb it.
"'Believe me, that's my middle name,' I told them. 'Let's see the hill.'
"'We haven't got it with us,' the man said, 'but it's a peach, allright--it looks harder than it is.'
"I asked him about the falling down part, and he said, 'Don't you worryabout that. We've got a rag dummy to do the falling. All you've got to dois to climb till you get to the grove near the top and when you getinside of that you'll find the rag dummy on a log. Just push it over andlet it fall down the hill.'"
"Well--I'll--be--jiggered!" said Roy.
"Good idea?" laughed Everett. "Of course, the rag dummy went all the waydown to the bottom----"
"You bet it did," said Connie.
"But in the picture it won't be that way. You'll see me climb up the hilland you'll see the dummy start down, and then--zip, goes the fillum--andthe next you see is a first-aid scout bandaging up another scout's head."
By this time Everett's companions had joined the party and havingproperly presented him to the newcomers, the freckled boy resumed hisoriginal seat astride the cannon.
"You see," said he, "we were down near Glens Falls when we picked up themovie men. They had a hydro and a big cabin boat. They gave us the moneyfor a uniform for the rag dummy and we went back to Albany and bought it.When we got back they were waiting for us, and believe me, we had somefun dressing up that dummy. I took the new suit and gave him the old one._He_ didn't care."
"He should worry," put in Roy.
The freckled scout continued his story, swinging his legs and greatlydelighted at the astonishment of his listeners.
"This is a most remarkable thing," said Mr. Ellsworth.
"Can you beat it! Well, we all started north with our canoe taggingbehind. It was all right, wasn't it, Frank, because we were going thatway anyway. When we got into the lake the man in the hydro left the waterand said he'd meet us on the top of the cliff. He told me just where he'dleave the dummy. Oh, gee, but he looked nice as he went sailing up in theair! We got out of the boat at Westport[4] and Frank and I helped themlug the camera and things to the mountain. We had it all fixe
d just whatwe'd do and when the man found a good place up the hill a ways, wherethey could get enough sunlight on the only original Boy Scout moviestar--that's me!--Frank and I went back to Westport, and paddled up inour canoe, just as if we were coming to the mountain for the first time.We got out under the cliff and I started up. Frank stayed down below sohe could get the dummy! Believe me, that dummy has some busy life! Theyuse it for a policeman and a soldier and a poor orphan child--gee, youought to see the clothes that poor dummy's got!
"Well, I guess you fellows know the rest. I got to the top all right, andtake it from me, when I got my fists on that rag dummy, I gave itone--good--chuck--_ker-bang!_ G-o-o-d-night!
"Then I trotted over to the big field on top of the cliff where thefellow with the aeroplane was waiting. Pretty soon along came Frankdragging the poor dummy after him by the leg. He came up the easy way.And goodnight, Mary Ann! I'm glad I wasn't that poor dummy----"
"I'm glad you weren't," said Mr. Ellsworth, dryly, thinking of theharrowing hours they had spent searching for his dead body.
"Well, they said they had the picture all right and it would be a beaut'.So then the man told us to jump in the aero and he'd bring us up toPlattsburg. You see that red boat over there with _Back to Nature FilmCorporation_ on it? That's ours--I mean, theirs. They're going to takesome pictures here if they can get permission. But we're out of the moviebusiness for good--aren't we, Frank? And we're going to ship our littleold canoe down home and get the train tonight---- Hey, Everson," he said,breaking off suddenly and turning to Garry; "why in the deuce don't yoube a good scout and come over to Warrentown and give us poor fellows ahand? Mr. Wentworth, our scoutmaster, is on the Mexican border and threeof our fellows have gone out west to live--the Harris boys--maybe youknow of them. Gee, a fellow like you could help us an awful lot. Youcould be a sort of scoutmaster till the Local Council scares one up. Andyou don't live so far--going scout pace. What do you say? Will you?"
_Would he!_
"He will on one condition," said Mr. Ellsworth. "You and your friend mustjoin us on our homeward cruise. I've heard of the Warrentown Troop andGarry ought to be glad to get into it----"
"They ought to be glad to get him!" shouted Pee-wee.
"Sure, he's a bargain," put in Roy. "Now's their chance."
"Yes, I think myself it will be an honor both ways," said Mr. Ellsworth,who had grown very fond of Garry. "He will bring you the SilverCross----"
"And he's no rag dummy," interrupted Roy.
"Our plan," said Mr. Ellsworth, "is to look about the camp here and setoff again in the morning, for time is beginning to be precious. We shallleave Raymond at Temple Camp, in the Catskills, where he's to stay forthe balance of the summer. Then, if you like, we'll drop you boys andGarry at Edgevale. Our larger boat and one of our members, to whom itbelongs, we shall leave at Nyack. The rest of us live in Bridgeboro, NewJersey--we're the First Bridgeboro B. S. A. Probably some of our boyswill hike it home from Nyack while the rest of us cruise down into NewYork Bay and up our own small river."
"It's just a one-patrol river," said Roy.
"Are you with us?" Connie asked.
"Sure, he's with us!" cried Roy. "Who's deciding this, Warrentown orBridgeboro? We'll drag both of them along by the legs the way theydragged the rag scout, hey?"
The party made a pleasant stay at the big training camp, walking throughthe straight, neat avenues of tents, visiting the commissary, watchingthe drill, and lingering, fascinated, about the rookies who were busy atrifle practice. They were made very welcome and it was not without afeeling of regret that they went aboard the two boats after the colorshad been lowered. But Plattsburg, of which they were to hear so muchlater, had been merely the chosen point of destination for their ramblinginland cruise, and as Mr. Ellsworth had remarked, time was beginning tobe precious.
The hospitable Bridgeboro Troop, with its strangely acquired new memberand its several guests, lolled upon the deck and cabin roof of the _HonorScout_ that night, as the two boats waited at their moorings for the dawnwhich would mean their departure on the speedier journey homeward.
As the moon rose over the wide bosom of the great lake and flickered thewaters with its silvery brightness, Harry Stanton sat upon the cabinlocker, strumming his ukulele, and those who were in the mood hummed thesoft airs while the others listened. Often whole days would elapse inwhich Harry Stanton would be scarcely heard from, but in the quiet ofthose summer nights upon the water he contributed his full share to thepleasure of the party.
If you, to whom I am about to bid a short farewell, are a scout of thescouts, see to it that some one of your troop's number learns to play amandolin, a banjo, or guitar--even if you have to drag him by the leg, asyoung Frank dragged the unfortunate dummy.
After a little while some one discovered that Roy was not among them, andthere was set up at once a hue and cry for him, for such an evening couldbe no more complete without Roy than a Buffalo Bill Show would be withoutBuffalo Bill or a circus without peanuts.
"Maybe he's in the other boat," said one.
"Maybe he's on shore," said another.
It was Pee-wee who dragged him forth from the forward end of the cabin,where he had been ensconced, knees up, "far from the madding crowd."
"What's the matter?" asked Artie Van Arlen.
Roy squatted in his customary attitude, holding a paper in his hand.
"I was thinking about all the crazy things that have happened," said he,"and the fellows we've met on this trip, and believe _me_, it's somehodge-podge. I was coming down from that big commissary tent, scout pace,when some poetry jumped into my noddle. Did you ever notice how poetrycomes to you when you go scout pace?" he asked, turning to Mr. Ellsworth.
"No, I never did," said the scoutmaster.
"Want to hear it? It's a sort of--sort of a national anthem of thetroop----"
"Troop anthem?"
"It isn't fixed up yet because the kid interrupted me. Do you want tohear it?"
"I dare say I can stand it if the others can," said the scoutmaster.
"Go ahead, shoot!" said Doc.
"Get the agony over with," said Connie.
"All right, since you insist," said Roy, taking Tom's flashlight so hecould read the immortal lines. "Here goes--one--two--_three_!
"Rag scouts, wooden scouts, Thin heads and thick, Honor scouts, young sprouts-- Just take your pick.
"Scouts without scout suits, Shirts full of holes, Silver Foxes--_they're the beauts_! Scouts without patrols.
"Youth scouts, sleuth scouts, Scouts with motor-boats, Scouts that come to life again, Music scouts and potes.
"Scoutmaster on the job, Something-or-other--welk, Hip, hip, hurrah, scouts-- Raven, Fox and Elk!
"What do you think of it?"
"Of, it's great!" yelled Pee-wee.
"I think it's superb," said Mr. Ellsworth, "especially the complimentaryreference to the scoutmaster."
"The pleasure is mine," said Roy, with an elaborate bow.
"But may I ask what a _pote_ is?"
"Sure, a pote's a scout that writes pomes."
"I see. And a welk?"
"Well, you see it's this way," said Roy, undaunted. "The welkin is thesky, and welk's short for welkin. Get me? I was just trying to dope outhow to fit that in when Pee-wee grabbed me."
"We shall have to make you poet laureate of the troop," said Mr.Ellsworth.
"The Bridgeboro Bard," laughed Garry.
"Do you think if I sent it to _Boys' Life_ they'd print it?" Roy asked.
"Sure, they would!" yelled Pee-wee.
"I don't know," said Mr. Ellsworth, cautiously. "I doubt it. You mighttry. They have printed worse things," he added.
Roy glanced again at his masterpiece, folded it up, put it in his pocket,drew his knees up, clasped his hands about them, and grinned at theassemblage.
"_I_ should worry," he said.
THE END