“Gee, but that’s dandy language,” shouted Pee-wee.
“Unfortunately the award is not for fine language,” said Mr. Ellsworth.
Mr. Ellsworth continued reading, “On the date mentioned, Warde Hollister, a scout of the first class, was hiking in the neighborhood of Temple Camp and stopped in a small and humble shack to ask directions——”
“Tell how they gave him a drink of milk,” shouted Pee-wee.
“The people were very poor,” Mr. Ellsworth read on, “and the mother, a widow, was on the point of sending her little child, a boy of six, to an orphanage, prior to seeking work for herself in the countryside. She seemed broken-hearted at this prospect and was much overcome as she talked with Scout Hollister. The woman’s name is Martha Corbett and her home is, or was, on the road running past Temple Camp into Briarvale.”
“There’s an apple orchard near it,” shouted Pee-wee.
Mr. Ellsworth read on, “That night at Temple Camp, Scout Hollister heard that a wealthy lady living at King’s Cove, about seven miles from Temple Camp in a direct line, was leaving for New York by auto that night. This information was imparted to him by the lady’s son who was a guest at Temple Camp. The lady, Mrs. Horace E. Hartwell, whose husband is well known in financial circles, intended, among other errands in the city, to secure a female servant for her country home at King’s Cove.
“It was known that she would motor to New York late that evening and Scout Hollister, hoping to secure employment for the Corbett woman, tried to get her on the telephone. He had reason to believe from conversation with her son that the Corbett woman might prove available for service if communication could be had with Mrs. Hartwell before her departure for New York.
“Unable to get the Hartwell place by telephone, Hollister decided to go personally to King’s Cove by a short cut through the woods. To do this it was necessary for him to cross a swamp causing much difficulty to the traveler. Hollister covered the entire distance of six miles (including this swamp) in less than two hours, a very remarkable exploit in the way of speed and endurance, and did, in fact, reach King’s Cove in time to intercept the Hartwell auto which had already started for New York. It was only by taking the difficult short cut and traversing the dangerous swamp that Hollister was able to do this.
“Hollister made himself known to Mrs. Hartwell as one of the scouts at Temple Camp and was the means of suspending her efforts to obtain a servant in New York until he should have an opportunity to bring Mrs. Corbett to see her.