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[Illustration: "But how," he demanded, "how do I get ashore?"]




THE BOY SCOUT

AND OTHER STORIES FOR BOYS

BY

RICHARD HARDING DAVIS

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

1917




COPYRIGHT, 1891, 1903, 1912, 1914, 1917, BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS




PUBLISHER'S NOTE

RICHARD HARDING DAVIS, as a friend and fellow author has written of him,
was "youth incarnate," and there is probably nothing that he wrote of
which a boy would not some day come to feel the appeal. But there are
certain of his stories that go with especial directness to a boy's heart
and sympathies and make for him quite unforgettable literature. A few of
these were made some years ago into a volume, "Stories for Boys," and
found a large and enthusiastic special public in addition to Davis's
general readers; and the present collection from stories more recently
published is issued with the same motive. This book takes its title from
"The Boy Scout," the first of its tales; and it includes "The Boy Who
Cried Wolf," "Blood Will Tell," the immortal "Gallegher," and "The Bar
Sinister," Davis's famous dog story. It is a fresh volume added to what
Augustus Thomas calls "safe stuff to give to a young fellow who likes to
take off his hat and dilate his nostrils and feel the wind in his face."




CONTENTS
                                             PAGE
  The Boy Scout                                 3
  The Boy Who Cried Wolf                       42
  Gallegher                                    82
  Blood Will Tell                             158
  The Bar Sinister                            212




ILLUSTRATIONS

  "But how," he demanded, "how do I get ashore?"            Frontispiece

  Jimmie dropped the valise, forced his cramped fingers
  into straight lines, and saluted                                     8

  "For God's sake," Hade begged, "let me go"                         128

  "Why, it's Gallegher," said the night editor                       156

  In front of David's nose he shook a fist as large as a
  catcher's glove                                                    184

  She dug the shapeless hat into David's shoulder                    210

  "He's a coward! I've done with him"                                230

  For a long time he kneels in the sawdust                           282




THE BOY SCOUT

AND OTHER STORIES FOR BOYS




THE BOY SCOUT


A Rule of the Boy Scouts is every day to do some one a good turn. Not
because the copy-books tell you it deserves another, but in spite of
that pleasing possibility. If you are a true Scout, until you have
performed your act of kindness your day is dark. You are as unhappy as
is the grown-up who has begun his day without shaving or reading the New
York _Sun_. But as soon as you have proved yourself you may, with a
clear conscience, look the world in the face and untie the knot in your
kerchief.

Jimmie Reeder untied the accusing knot in his scarf at just ten minutes
past eight on a hot August morning after he had given one dime to his
sister Sadie. With that she could either witness the first-run films at
the Palace, or by dividing her fortune patronize two of the nickel shows
on Lenox Avenue. The choice Jimmie left to her. He was setting out for
the annual encampment of the Boy Scouts at Hunter's Island, and in the
excitement of that adventure even the movies ceased to thrill. But Sadie
also could be unselfish. With a heroism of a camp-fire maiden she made a
gesture which might have been interpreted to mean she was returning the
money.

"I can't, Jimmie!" she gasped. "I can't take it off you. You saved it,
and you ought to get the fun of it."

"I haven't saved it yet," said Jimmie. "I'm going to cut it out of the
railroad fare. I'm going to get off at City Island instead of at Pelham
Manor and walk the difference. That's ten cents cheaper."

Sadie exclaimed with admiration:

"An' you carryin' that heavy grip!"

"Aw, that's nothin'," said the man of the family.

"Good-by, mother. So long, Sadie."

To ward off further expressions of gratitude he hurriedly advised Sadie
to take in "The Curse of Cain" rather than "The Mohawks' Last Stand,"
and fled down the front steps.

He wore his khaki uniform. On his shoulders was his knapsack, from his
hands swung his suitcase and