It is a new month and I guess that means it is time for a new book to read. The previous two ebooks I have posted have been well received. I would bet you probably have both read already, if you have an ebook reader, that is. So it is time to post the next book in the series, Tom Slade at Temple Camp, written by Percy Keese Fitzhugh. Here is a short excerpt from the start of the book:
“Rejected by a large majority—I mean, elected by a large majority.”
Roy Blakeley gathered up the ballots in his two hands, dropped them into the shoe box and pushed the box across the table to Mr. Ellsworth as if the matter were finally settled.
“Honorable Roy Blakeley,” he added, “didn’t even carry his own patrol.”
This humiliating confession, offered in Roy’s gayest manner, was true. The Silver Foxes had turned from their leader and, to a scout, voted for Tom Slade. It was hinted that Roy himself was responsible for this, but he was a good politician and would not talk. There was also a dark rumor that a certain young lady was mixed up in the matter and it is a fact that only the night before Roy and Mary Temple had been seen in earnest converse on the wide veranda at Grantley Square by Pee-wee Harris, who believed that a scout should be observant.
Be this as it may, Tom had carried his own patrol, the Elks, unanimously, and the Silver Foxes had voted for him like instructed delegates, while among the proud and dignified Ravens there had been but one dissenting vote. Someone had cast this for Pee-wee Harris, the Silver Fox mascot and the troop’s chief exhibit. But, of course, it was only a joke. The idea of Pee-wee going away as assistant camp manager was preposterous. Why, you could hardly see him without a magnifying glass.
“If this particular majority had been much larger,” announced Roy, “it wouldn’t have been a majority at all; it would have been a unanimity.”
“A una what?” someone asked.
“A unanimity—that’s Latin for home run. Seems a pity that the only thing that prevented a clean sweep was a little three-foot pocket edition of a boy scout——”
At this moment, Pee-wee, by a miracle of dexterity, landed a ball of twine plunk in the middle of Roy’s face.
“Roy,” laughed Mr. Ellsworth, “you’re a good campaign manager.”
“He’s a boss,” shouted Pee-wee, “that’s what he is. A boss is a feller that has people elected and then makes them do what he says.”
“Well, you were glad enough to vote for him with the rest, weren’t you?” laughed the scoutmaster.
You can download the book HERE. Have fun reading! And don’t forget to leave your comments.
If you do not have an iPad or other ebook reader but would like to read an epub file on your computer try out the free program from Adobe: Adobe Digital Editions. You can find it HERE.
In 1989, several women who were involved with the Scouting program in Melrose, met at the local community access television studio to do a talk show about Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting in Melrose. The show was titled The Women Of Scouting. It was broadcast several times over the years, usually during Boy Scout anniversary week in the first part of February. This program has now been broken down into five parts and will be shown on the Melrose Scout Productions Podcast during the next few months.
