Already the new system had borne fruit, for the railway company, while not compelled to do so by any town ordinance, doubtless falling in with the general scheme of uplift, stationed a flagman at the perilous crossing, who would be on duty from six in the morning until sundown.
Those of the scouts who had the duty of searching for infractions of the health code ran across the greatest trouble, because they were dealing with private individuals, some of whom nursed petty “grouches” against them because compelled to do what the boys demanded or take the chances of being summoned before a Squire and heavily fined.
Hugh used considerable diplomacy in dealing with these offenders. He did not wish the scouts to make any enemies when it could be avoided. So when there happened to be some stubborn fellow who firmly believed he had a right to do things that were offensive to the neighbors and the community at large, just because he was on his own grounds, and threatened to go to law to resist, Hugh tried other measures besides violence and threats.
In several instances he performed what seemed next door to miracles, in the eyes of the boys, and the amused people as well. Hugh could “blarney” most any one into coming around to his way of thinking, given half a chance, was what Billy Worth always said, and in fact the young scout master proved the truth of this assertion in several instances.
One crabbed and rich old fellow in particular, who had little to do with his neighbors, but persisted in keeping several fierce dogs that barked most of the night, upon being threatened with the passage of a new law that would proclaim such animals within the corporate limits of the town a public nuisance if complaint were handed in signed by six neighbors, told them they could pass all the regulations they wanted and he would take out an injunction, which by the delay of the law would allow him to do about as he pleased the rest of his life.
Judge Coffin, from the town of Lawrence, whose acquaintance some of the scouts had made at the time of the famous flood,[1] when they were enabled to save several lives and win the esteem of the entire community, chancing to visit Oakvale on some official business just about that time, confided to Hugh the fact that unfortunately what Mr. Griffin claimed was true, and that by successive injunctions it was possible to fend off a decision for months, sometimes years.
This was not the worst of it, for if one man could baffle the desire of the community in that way his example might become contagious and the precedent thus set be copied by others, until all the good the reform wave had done would be lost.
So clever Hugh had figured out it was essential that Mr. Griffin be won over to the cause, even if it took much of his spare time to accomplish the seemingly impossible result.
Like a wise general, Hugh first looked over the field. He knew that when a battle is to be fought the side that knows the various conformations of the ground always possesses an advantage over those less posted.
In making all sorts of inquiries Hugh learned a lot about the past of this crabbed old man who seemed so like vinegar. There was a reason, it seemed, for his “drawing within his shell,” and refusing to have more than casual communication with his neighbors.