按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 Mohawk's
Last Stand；〃 and fled down the front steps。
He wore his khaki uniform。 On his shoulders was his knapsack；
from his hands swung his suit…case； and between his heavy stockings
and his 〃shorts〃 his kneecaps； unkissed by the sun； as yet unscathed
by blackberry vines； showed as white and fragile as the wrists of a girl。
As he moved toward the 〃L〃 station at the corner； Sadie and his mother
waved to him； in the street； boys too small to be scouts hailed him
enviously； even the policeman glancing over the newspapers on the
news…stand nodded approval。
〃You a scout； Jimmie？〃 he asked。
〃No；〃 retorted Jimmie； for was not he also in uniform？ 〃I'm Santa
Claus out filling Christmas stockings。〃
The patrolman also possessed a ready wit。
〃Then get yourself a pair；〃 he advised。 〃If a dog was to see your
legs〃
Jimmie escaped the insult by fleeing up the steps of the
Elevated。
An hour later； with his valise in one hand and staff in the other；
he was tramping up the Boston Post Road and breathing heavily。
The day was cruelly hot。 Before his eyes； over an interminable
stretch of asphalt； the heat waves danced and flickered。 Already
the knapsack on his shoulders pressed upon him like an Old Man
of the Sea； the linen in the valise had turned to pig iron； his pipe…
stem legs were wabbling； his eyes smarted with salt sweat； and the
fingers supporting the valise belonged to some other boy； and were
giving that boy much pain。 But as the motor…cars flashed past with
raucous warnings； or； that those who rode might better see the boy
with bare knees； passed at 〃half speed；〃 Jimmie stiffened his shoulders
and stepped jauntily forward。 Even when the joy…riders mocked with
〃Oh； you scout！〃 he smiled at them。 He was willing to admit to those
who rode that the laugh was on the one who walked。 And he regretted
oh； so bitterlyhaving left the train。 He was indignant that for his
〃one good turn a day〃 he had not selected one less strenuousthat；
for instance； he had not assisted a frightened old lady through the
traffic。 To refuse the dime she might have offered； as all true scouts
refuse all tips； would have been easier than to earn it by walking five
miles； with the sun at ninety…nine degrees； and carrying excess baggage。
Twenty times James shifted the valise to the other hand； twenty times
he let it drop and sat upon it。
And then； as again he took up his burden； the good Samaritan drew
near。 He drew near in a low gray racing…car at the rate of forty miles
an hour； and within a hundred feet of Jimmie suddenly stopped and
backed toward him。 The good Samaritan was a young man with white
hair。 He wore a suit of blue； a golf cap； the hands that held the wheel
were disguised in large yellow gloves。 He brought the car to a halt and
surveyed the dripping figure in the road with tired and uncurious eyes。
〃You a Boy Scout？〃 he asked。
With alacrity for the twenty…first time Jimmie dropped the valise；
forced his cramped fingers into straight lines； and saluted。
The young man in the car nodded toward the seat beside him。
〃Get in；〃 he commanded。
When James sat panting happily at his elbow the old young man； to
Jimmie's disappointment； did not continue to shatter the speed limit。
Instead； he seemed inclined for conversation； and the car； growling
indignantly； crawled。
〃I never saw a Boy Scout before；〃 announced the old young man。
〃Tell me about it。 First； tell me what you do when you're not
scouting。〃
Jimmie explained volubly。 When not in uniform he was an office
boy； and from peddlers and beggars guarded the gates of Carroll
and Hastings； stock…brokers。 He spoke the names of his employers
with awe。 It was a firm distinguished； conservative； and long
established。 The white…haired young man seemed to nod in assent。
〃Do you know them？〃 demanded Jimmie suspiciously。 〃Are you a
customer of ours？〃
〃I know them；〃 said the young man。 〃They are customers of mine。〃
Jimmie wondered in what way Carroll and Hastings were customers
of the white…haired young man。 Judging him by his outer garments；
Jimmie guessed he was a Fifth Avenue tailor； he might be even a
haberdasher。 Jimmie continued。 He lived； he explained； with his
mother at One Hundred and Forty…sixth Street； Sadie； his sister；
attended the public school； he helped support them both； and he
now was about to enjoy a well…earned vacation camping out on
Hunter's Island； where he would cook his own meals； and； if the
mosquitoes permitted； sleep in a tent。
〃And you like that？〃 demanded the young man。 〃You call that fun？〃
〃Sure！〃 protested Jimmie。 〃Don't you go camping out？〃
〃I go camping out；〃 said the good Samaritan； 〃whenever I leave
New York。〃
Jimmie had not for three years lived in Wall Street not to
understand that the young man spoke in metaphor。
〃You don't look；〃 objected the young man critically； 〃as though
you were built for the strenuous life。〃
Jimmie glanced guiltily at his white knees。
〃You ought ter see me two weeks from now；〃 he protested。 〃I get all
sunburnt and hard…
…hard as anything！〃
The young man was incredulous。
〃You were near getting sunstruck when I picked you up；〃 he
laughed。 〃If you're going to Hunter's Island； why didn't you go
to Pelham Manor？〃
〃That's right！〃 assented Jimmie eagerly。 〃But I wanted to save
the ten cents so's to send Sadie to the movies。 So I walked。〃
The young man looked his embarrassment。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he murmured。
But Jimmie did not hear him。 From the back of the car he was
dragging excitedly at the hated suit…case。
〃Stop！〃 he commanded。 〃I got ter get out。 I got ter walk。〃
The young man showed his surprise。
〃Walk！〃 he exclaimed。 〃What is ita bet？〃
Jimmie dropped the valise and followed it into the roadway。 It
took some time to explain to the young man。 First； he had to be
told about the scout law and the one good turn a day； and that it
must involve some personal sacrifice。 And； as Jimmie pointed out；
changing from a slow suburban train to a racing…car could not be
listed as a sacrifice。 He had not earned the money； Jimmie argued；
he had only avoided paying it to the railroad。 If he did not walk
he would be obtaining the gratitude of Sadie by a falsehood。
Therefore； he must walk。
〃Not at all；〃 protested the young man。 〃You've got it wrong。 What
good