The Banner Boy Scouts in the Air

The boys leaned over to watch what the pilot was doing. As the mechanic turned the propeller over about half a dozen times, the pilot, with a few strokes of the doping pump, sprayed gasoline vapor into the cylinders. “Contact!” cried the mechanic.

“Contact!” replied the major. He pressed down the switches and quickly turned the handle of the starting magneto. Brrr … brrrr … went the engine. The mechanic sprang away. The mechanic made as though to bound forward but was checked by the wooden chocks, placed in front of the under-carriage wheels.

Just as he was ready, he turned back and asked, “Are you ready boys?”

“Yes, sir,” they replied.

“Very well, then, we’re off.”

The three boys at the sheds cheered lustily as the machine began to move and Paul and Jack waved to them. And before they realized it the machine was about six feet off the ground which seemed to be falling away beneath them. The plane kept climbing steadily upwards. The boys leaned forward. They saw that the air-speed indicator registered a little over a hundred miles an hour, and they wondered because they couldn’t feel the machine traveling at such a rate of speed. As they continued to climb, the boys looked over the side at the scene below them. The earth now appeared like a great colored map, with fields showing up in different shades of green and brown. The airport which they had only shortly left, was a little to the left of them. Sheds and houses and barns appeared as very small rectangular blocks. As they climbed still higher, things took on yet smaller proportions. Major McCarthy spoke to them through the telephone. “Well, how do you like it?” he asked.

Paul answered for both of them. “Marvelous!” he cried.

The pilot banked the machine and it steeped over on one side so sharply that the boys instinctively clutched for support. McCarthy’s voice came over the telephone “Don’t be alarmed,” he said, “there’s no danger and you can’t fall out.” He straightened out the machine. Again they heard his voice. “Feel a little giddy?” he asked. “If you do,” he cried, “look down upon some fixed object on the ground and you’ll feel all right.”

Both boys complied with his instructions and they soon got over their giddiness. The pilot kept the machine sailing at an even keel. Soon they were flying over a small town and they saw what appeared to them as ants scurrying along. They knew that the ants were really men and women and they marveled how small they appeared. As a matter of fact, everything looked like toys from that distance and flying above a railroad, the track seemed to be two thin lines drawn with a pencil. Major McCarthy’s voice came over the telephone. “How would you boys like some stunts?” he asked.

The boys grinned at each other. Paul answered for both of them. “Very much,” he said.

“All right,” he said, “we’ll have to be satisfied with only one today. Just to see how you fellows take it. First we’ll bank and turn around. Ready!”

But before they could answer the pilot already had the machine keeled over on one side. On an even keel again, the major asked them, “How about your safety belts.” They adjusted their safety belts and told him so. “Very well,” he said, “here goes.” And so saying, he opened the throttle and the plane bounded forward. In a few seconds the nose sprang upward. As it rose the forward speed decreased, yet the engine continued to run at the maximum revolutions. The machine was not pointing vertically upwards. For a moment the plane appeared to hang on the revolving propeller and it felt as though the machine must inevitably drop tail foremost. But right away the nose fell over to one side and dropped and the tail shot up and the machine was shooting sharply downward. For some distance they continued to dive, then the pilot shut off the throttle and pulled back the elevator lever and brought the plane again on an even keel. However, they were now flying in the opposite direction. McCarthy asked, “How was it?”

The boys were thrilled. “Fine!” cried Paul.

“Were you afraid?”

“No, not in the least.”

“Well, that was an easy one, but the next time we’ll try a harder one.”

Jack couldn’t contain himself, so he cried, “How about now?”

Major McCarthy shook his head. “Enough for today,” he told them.

They were now flying over the airport and a minute later they landed. The three waiting boys sent up a couple of greeting cheers and ran over to meet the grinning two who were tumbling out of the plane. “How was it?” demanded Nuthin’.

William was impatient. “Tell us about it, quick,” he cried.

Paul nudged his chum in the ribs and asked, “Do you think we ought to tell them?”

Jack smiled and wiggled his head. “I don’t know,” he said. “I think we ought to consider it.”

William was impatient. “Hey, come on,” he cried. “No stalling now.”

The major joined the group and the two boys thanked him. He said, “It’s quite all right, boys, I’m only too glad to do it. And by the way, I heard all about what happened yesterday. You tell that fellow, what’s his name—”

“Bobolink,” cried Nuthin’.

“Bobolink,” repeated the major. “He’s a friend of yours, isn’t he?”

Wallace interjected, “He certainly is. He is a grand fellow, too.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” said the major. “So you tell him that just as soon as he’s recovered, to come over here and I’ll take him up for a ride.”

“Yea!” cried Nuthin’, “hooray for Major McCarthy!”

They gave the major three cheers. But William wanted to know something else. “How about us?”

“Well,” he said, “I’ll think it over.” They were now at the door of the office building. Entering, he turned around and said, “Don’t go away, now. I’ll be out right away.”

The boys squatted on the ground, with Paul and Jack in the center and the two boys were obliged to tell every detail of their experience. It took about fifteen to twenty minutes to narrate the story and when finally it was told, the boys sat back, speechless and lost in thought. William said, “Gee, I hope the major gives me a ride. I’d do anything.”

Wallace said, “Getting a ride is all very well, but what I really am interested in is to learn how to fly. I wonder if it’s hard to learn.”

“No, I don’t think so,” replied Paul. “Major McCarthy told us yesterday that it was easy to learn.”

Jack said, “I was watching him all the time and it looks very simple. But we could ask him.”

“Yes, we could do that,” remarked Wallace, “but what we want to know is whether he would teach us.”

William spoke up, saying, “All of us.”

“Of course, all of us,” agreed Paul.

Just then the major came out and they called him over. He seated himself on the ground beside them. Paul asked, “Do you think you could teach us how to fly?”

“Of course,” he said. “I’ve taught a lot of people how to fly.”

“Is it difficult to learn?” demanded Wallace.

“Why, no. On the contrary, it’s very simple.”

Again Wallace asked a question. “If you could teach us to fly, would we—would we—” he hesitated. Finally he said, “Would it cost a lot of money?”

McCarthy thought for a moment. “Well,” he said, “I don’t think so. As a matter of fact, I’d love to teach you young fellows and I’m sure we could come to some arrangement.”

“That’s mighty nice of you,” Paul said, voicing the sentiment of the other boys.

“I think what you ought to do,” said McCarthy, “is to consider yourself a single group and I’ll teach you as a group. Of course I couldn’t take you up all together, but whatever ground-work there is to be done, I could instruct you as a group.”

“That’s just what we were thinking, sir,” said Jack.

“In that case, everything is settled, except that I must insist that you bring written permission from your parents. Is that agreeable?”

The boys were so surprised and shocked by the willingness of McCarthy to instruct them that they were left almost speechless. William was the first one to recover. “You mean to say that you’re actually willing to teach us to fly?” he asked skeptically.

The major smiled and nodded. “That’s just what I said, didn’t I?”

“Yes, but you said it so casually and carelessly that we didn’t grasp it at once,” said Nuthin’. “Say it again, please, sir,” he pleaded.

Major McCarthy reiterated his offer and the boys let out wild yells of joy.

CHAPTER V

The Reward

The major got up and the boys also jumped to their feet. “Well, who wants to go up now?” he asked.

“I do!” cried William lustily.

“Me too,” insisted Wallace.

“What about me?”—that from Nuthin’.

The three boys milled around the major. Paul and Jack, smiling, retreated to the background. They had had their ride and it was somebody else’s turn now. “I’ll tell you what,” the major said, “the three of you choose and I’ll take the two winners up now. And when I come down I’ll take up the loser.”

It was a good suggestion and fair enough. And as luck would have it, William who was the most persistent and eager, lost and his twin brother Wallace and Nuthin’ went up. From the ground, they watched the plane in the air. McCarthy kept them in the air for a much shorter time than Paul and Jack and performed no stunts. When they landed, the two boys, thrilled and excited, climbed out of the machine. The pilot smiled cheerfully and cried, “Well, who’s next?”

William shouted, “I am!” And quickly and eagerly tumbled into the observer’s seat. This time the other boys thought that William was the lucky chap, since he was going to fly all by himself. Jack immediately spoke up. “Major McCarthy,” he said, “would it be all right with you if the four of us chose to see which one of us could go up with you a second time?”

He nodded. “Sure,” he said. “That’s fair enough, I guess.”

Paul was the lucky one and he went up in the air for a second time. When McCarthy landed, the boys thanked him heartily. When they returned to Stanhope they all went to Bobolink’s house because he was still unable to leave his bed and they had decided to hold the meeting that afternoon in his room. When they got there, they found Bluff and Ken already present and they could hardly contain their excitement. William, impatient as well as impulsive, broke into the room, shouting, “Hey, fellows, we flew in a real airplane.”

The boys in the room were also highly excited and Bluff, who was eager to explain, stuttered so because of the exciting news, that he couldn’t talk. He cried, “A-a-a-and y-y-you n-n-n-know what—”

He was interrupted, however, by Ken, who called out, “Wait, Bluff, don’t tell them until we hear what they have to say.”

Paul demanded, “What is it you’ve got to tell us?”

Bobolink, propped up in bed, declared, “Oh, nothing, nothing much.”

But their eyes glittered so with excitement and their faces were so flushed that the new-comers could tell at a glance that there was something up.

“Say, you fellows are holding something from us; come on, tell us,” William demanded.

Ken, who was always able to keep a straight face, no matter what happened, remarked very coolly and casually, “Nothing, really. You tell us first what happened at the airport. Did you all get a ride?”

The boys grinned. “We most certainly did,” announced William.

“Each and everyone of us,” added Jack.

Paul said modestly, blushing to admit the truth, “I went up twice.”

Bluff made believe he was fainting. “Is that b-boy l-l-lucky!” he exclaimed, “H-h-how come y-y-you w-were thus h-h-honored?” he wanted to know.

Paul explained. Wallace interrupted to say, “And what’s more, Major McCarthy told us to tell you, Bobolink, that just as soon as you’re recuperated, he’s going to take you up, too.”

The boys swarmed about Bobolink’s bed and the boy had to turn his head from one side to the other to listen to what each fellow said. He replied, “I’m glad and I appreciate the major’s offer but I wish you boys would stop jumping around like frogs and get chairs and sit down.” He was interrupted by William and Jack who began to speak at once but he stopped them and added, “Don’t all talk at the same time.”

Wallace got ahead of all the others this time and announced, “Major McCarthy also told us that he is going to teach us all how to fly.”

Bluff and Ken who heard the news for the first time, jumped high in the air and shouted, “Wow!!”

Paul called the boys to order and admonished them not to make so much noise because that would be a very poor manner in which to reciprocate Mrs. Link’s kindness in permitting them to meet in Bobolink’s room. All the boys nodded and agreed to refrain from making any further noise. They brought in chairs, placed them around the bed and sat down very orderly to discuss the business at hand, which was, Major McCarthy’s offer to teach them how to fly. For the moment they forgot everything else and thought only of their ambition to learn how to fly and be pilots. Bluff, however, soon remembered that there was some exciting news to tell which had been temporarily forgotten. At the first opportunity, therefore, he interrupted and said, “W-w-wait a minute, f-f-fellows, we h-h-have f-f-forg-g-gotten s-s-something.”

Given the cue, they all suddenly remembered. William jumped out of his seat and cried, “That’s right, you were supposed to tell us something. So come across, don’t hold back, tell us,” he demanded.

Bluff waved his arms and wanted to tell but Ken restrained him and said, “No, it’s Bobolink’s news; let him tell it.”

All eyes turned on Bobolink. A modest and unassuming person, he hesitated. Ken urged him on, saying, “Don’t be bashful, tell them.”

Blushing, he said, “It’s really Paul and Jack who deserve all the credit for catching that crook and they should really get all of the reward.”

“Reward! What reward?”

“What crook?”

They all spoke simultaneously, without listening to each other. Paul held up his hand and motioned for everybody to be quiet. He said, “Let’s first hear what it’s all about. All right, Bobolink, tell us what you’re talking about.”

Bobolink said, “Well, the story is all very simple. You remember yesterday how that speeder nearly ran over the Smither’s kid?”

They all nodded. Wallace said, “Of course we do, and if it weren’t for you, the kid would be dead.”

“It wasn’t much, really,” said Bobolink. “But what happened afterwards is what’s really important. Jack and Paul went after the fellow and caught him and then the police arrested him.”

William was impatient. “So what about it?” he demanded.

“Well,” continued Bobolink, “a short while ago Chief of Police Bates called up and said that there was a two thousand dollar reward for the arrest of that fellow and that very likely the money will be awarded to be shared by Paul, Jack and me. But it’s Jack and Paul who should really get all of it.”

The last sentence was not heard because of the commotion that followed. The boys jumped high in the air, shouted, screamed, cheered Paul, Jack and Bobolink. They were beside themselves with joy. When at last they quieted down, Jack asked, “But who’s the culprit, Bobolink? What crime did he commit and who’s giving the reward?”

Bobolink answered, “Chief Bates explained to mother that the culprit is a well known counterfeiter and the government is giving the reward. He said that in a day or two a government agent will come to town to determine who really deserves the reward. But my mother told me that he assured her that the three of us are going to get the reward.”

CHAPTER VI

What To Do With The Money?

The boys were in such a turmoil of excitement that they barely noticed Jack and Paul draw aside and whisper together. It took them only a few seconds to agree to a mutual proposal. Paul walked over to Bobolink and whispered something in his ear. Paul then called the boys to order, told them to sit down, then said, “Fellows, we have some serious thinking to do. We must determine the best manner in which to dispose of the $2,000 reward.”

Ken objected. “What do you mean ‘we’?” he demanded. “The money belongs to you, Jack and Bobolink and it’s up to you to do as you please with it.”

Jack and Bobolink shook their heads in disagreement with the statement. William, however, remarked, “I think Ken is right.”

Bluff nodded in agreement while Wallace was noncommital. Paul said, “The money belongs to all of us, the members of this Patrol. Furthermore, if there is any argument about it, Jack, Bobolink and I are agreed that we want the money to be shared by the eight of us. Now let’s discuss, orderly and intelligently, what we should do with the money.”

All the boys were silent, not knowing what to say or how to deal with the situation. Wallace, however, the sober and serious fellow of the group, remarked, “I’m sure all the boys agree with me when I say that we appreciate very much the gesture of Paul, Jack and Bobolink. Furthermore, it is my opinion that none of us should hesitate to accept their offer. Ever since I can remember, since the time we were kids, we have always lived together, played together, gone to school together and shared each other’s property. If a fellow had a dime, he bought candy and shared it with all of us. I cannot remember a single instance when a fellow refused to share anything he possessed with the rest of us. You’ll remember that when we first became Scouts, we pooled our money to buy uniforms for all of us. We’ve been doing that ever since and therefore I—”

That was quite a long speech and the boys would not permit him to continue. They applauded him to show their whole-hearted agreement. Even Ken now agreed and said, “I think we owe a vote of thanks to Wallace for explaining it to us and making it so clear that we cannot help but agree with him.”

Some of the boys nodded. William jumped up to offer a suggestion. He said, “All right, we all agree by now that the money is the property of all of us. Now what are we going to do with it? I propose that we use it to learn how to fly and—”

“R-r-righto!” exclaimed Bluff.

“I think that is a good idea and it suits me perfectly,” said Jack.

“Same here.” cried Nuthin’.

The others nodded their approval.

William held up his hand and called for order. “I’m not finished yet,” he cried.

“What else?” someone asked.

“Hear, hear!” somebody else shouted.

William continued. “What I want to add is this,” he declared, “That we have enough money not only for all of us to learn how to fly but maybe to buy a plane, too.”

“Wow! Wouldn’t that be swell!”

“Perfect is the word!”

“Gee, a plane of our own!”

Paul made himself heard. He said, “We’ll have to wait and discuss it with Major McCarthy.”

“That’s right, we’ll do that.”

“He’s just the man.”

“I’m sure he’ll be glad to advise us.”

Wallace rose to address the boys. He said, “We’ve been so excited that we’ve completely forgotten how to think straight.” The boys were seized by a feeling of discomfort. “I know that I too got lost in the excitement,” he added, “and only a moment ago it occurred to me that we weren’t quite fair to our parents. We should by all means consult them and find out whether they object to what we propose to do with the money.”

The boys became sombre and thoughtful. Someone said, “But after all, the money is ours and we ought to be able to do with it as we please.”

William added, “And suppose they won’t let us use the money to learn how to fly, what’ll we do?”

Paul said, “I don’t think we should feel disheartened by the thought that perhaps our parents will object to the manner in which we propose to use the money. I’m sure that our fathers and mothers are considerate of our welfare and will most likely permit us to dispose of the money according to our desires. Whatever we do, however, we should by all means take our parents into our confidence and ask for their advice.”

Jack supported his chum. He announced, “I agree whole-heartedly with Paul and I hope you all do likewise.”

Bobolink raised his hand. “I do,” he declared.

“S-s-same here,” Bluff cried.

“And me too,” said Wallace.

The others also agreed. It was then decided that Wallace, Paul and Jack approach Dr. Morrison and speak to him about it. The meeting was then adjourned.

On the street, the boys were acclaimed everywhere. It seemed that the news had spread all over town very quickly. Walking through the streets, many townspeople stopped the boys to congratulate them, shake hands and slap them on the back. By the time they arrived at Dr. Morrison’s office, they were worn out. Dr. Morrison greeted them, then asked, “Well boys, what can I do for you?”

Jack distorted his facial features and muttered, “Something for a backache, Doctor, I’m all sore.”

The doctor laughed good naturedly. Paul held up his right hand. “Dad,” he said, “my fingers are swollen, can you do something?”

Wallace interjected, saying, “And I, the innocent party, have to suffer also.”

The doctor smiled, then remarked, “I guess it’s because you fellows deserve it.”

They settled down to a serious talk and told Dr. Morrison everything that had transpired. He listened respectfully and carefully noted all their remarks. When they were finished, he agreed with them and then suggested that each boy explain the entire matter to his father and mother and then invite them to a meeting at Dr. Morrison’s home the following evening. He offered to speak over the telephone with all the parents and personally urge them to come to the meeting. The boys thought it was a very good plan and agreed to go and tell it to the other boys.

The following evening all the parents assembled at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Morrison. The boys were somewhat nervous and fidgety. They met again in Bobolink’s room and worried together. What if their parents vetoed their plan or decided that the money should be disposed of in some other manner? What if their fathers and mothers decided this, that, or something else? They were truly worried.

In the meanwhile the parents assembled. Paul had been told to stay with Jack for the night. Dr. Morrison called the meeting to order and suggested that they elect a chairman. He himself was nominated and elected unanimously. It didn’t take long after that for the meeting to warm up and for everyone present to enter the discussion and passionately plead his or her arguments. Soon the parents became separated into two factions, one led by Dr. Morrison and the other by Mr. Armstrong. It was Dr. Morrison’s idea that although the parents should by all means keep a guiding hand over the boys and advise them accordingly, yet the plan of the boys to use the money for flying instructions, should be respected. Mr. Armstrong argued that he was not anxious to disappoint the boys and that learning to be a pilot was all right as far as he was concerned, but he thought that the money should be used for more worthy purposes. For instance, the money might be used to send some poor but deserving boy through college, or it might be used to build a club house for the boys.

Mr. Carberry, who supported Dr. Morrison, argued that the suggestion of a club house was a poor one, because the boys always had a place at their disposal to meet; that such a state of affairs was preferable to a club house where they would withdraw and do things the parents would be ignorant of. And as for using the money to send some poor but able boy to college, it was a most commendable suggestion but the money after all belonged to the boys and they should be permitted to use it for their own ends.

Mr. Link, who supported Mr. Armstrong, argued that it was all right to let the boys have their way but that when they were on the verge of doing something wrong, such as mis-using a large sum of money, it was up to the parents to advise them and see that they acted differently;

And thus arguments flew back and forth. Finally Mr. Shipley suggested that a vote be taken to see how matters stood. A show of hands revealed that one faction won by a vote of ten to six. There was some applause and then Dr. Morrison told them all to relax, that although they had argued one against another, it was all on good faith and friendliness. Several minutes later Mrs. Morrison served tea.

Although the boys were in bed and supposedly asleep when their parents returned home at about eleven, yet they were all very much awake. They couldn’t question their parents that night, however, as to the results of the meeting. They were obliged to spend a wakeful night and wait until morning to learn the results.