You might think that
because we live in a country village on the Hudson everything's fine and
dandy. But there's blamed little money in our burg. Four of our troop
have to work after school. One works all day and goes to night school
down to Poughkeepsie. I saved up two years to buy that canoe I was in
when I caught your message."
"Well, you caught it all right," said Tom, with a note of pride in his
usually expressionless voice.
"We'll come out all right, though," said Garry, cheerily. "That's what
I'm always telling them; only we're so gol-blamed poor."
"I know what it is," said Tom, after a pause. "Maybe that's what makes
us such good friends, sort of. I lived in a tenement down in Bridgeboro.
I've got to thank Roy for everything--Roy and Mr. Ellsworth. They all
treat me fine and you'd never know most of them are rich fellows; but
somehow--I don't just know how to tell you---- but you know how a scout
is supposed to be a brother to every other scout. Well, it seems to me,
kind of, as if a poor fellow is a brother to every other poor
fellow--and--and--I understand."
"It's easy to see they all think a lot of you," said Garry. "Well, we've
had a rattling good time up here and I don't suppose we'll feel any
worse about going away than lots of others will. If you miss one thing
you usually have another to make up. We're all good friends in our
little troop--we have more fun than you could shake a stick at, joshing
each other about different kinds of heroic stunts, to win an honor
medal, and some of them have thought up the craziest things----"
"I wish you could stay," said Tom.
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