Billy tried to make a face at the guide, but winced with pain. “I tell you there was a bear, and he came right up to our lean-to,” he sputtered indignantly.
And so they came into camp where in front of the office Dr. Merriam stood gravely awaiting them.
CHAPTER XIII
THE HONEY SEEKERS
Two very sober boys came forth from their interview with the big chief. It was not that their punishment for infraction of the two most rigidly enforced rules of the camp—jumping bounds and building fires—was to be so severe. In fact they were getting off much lighter than they had dared to hope for, being ordered to police camp for one month and also being denied the privilege of joining any of the various special parties going out with the guides for two and three day trips. Dr. Merriam considered that their experience had been in the nature of punishment, severe enough to warrant him in being lenient in his dealings with the culprits.
He had simply talked to them, quietly, kindly, with no shadow of resentment, no suggestion of scolding. It was just a plain talk as man to man, in which the doctor made clear to them how the welfare of all is wholly dependent upon the individual, and that the breaking of laws made for the community in no way harms those in authority, but is an outrage upon the great body politic and in time is bound to react upon the lawbreaker.
“The honor of Woodcraft Camp as a whole is to be safeguarded only by keeping unsullied the honor of each individual member. By your acts of deliberate disobedience yesterday you not only besmirched your own honor as Scouts under oath, but you blotted the honor of the entire camp. Buxby, by your own confession you have sought to take upon your shoulders the entire blame for this unfortunate affair. The motive does you credit. But, my boy,” he concluded, turning to Spud, “I want you to realize that weakness which allows one to follow another in wrongdoing is quite as blameworthy as the act of the leader, and that therefore I hold you equally culpable with Buxby in this affair.”
His face lighted with one of his rare smiles. “I believe that from now on I can trust both of you implicitly,” he said, giving each the Scout’s grip.
“The thing that hurts me most is the fact that the big chief won’t let the findin’ of that bee tree score for the Delawares. There’s fifty points thrown away just because I wouldn’t take your advice, Spud, and wait till we got permission to go out of bounds,” said Billy, as half an hour later the two boys sat at one end of the mess table making up for their prolonged fast.
Spud stopped a huge slice of bread and butter half-way to his mouth. “What about that second line we ain’t run down yet?” he asked slowly.