the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第49章
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Fred Keep gazed stupidly from his butler to the stranger and then at his
wife。 She was again radiantly beautiful and smilingly happy。
Gridley coughed tentatively。 〃Shall I open a bottle； sir？〃 he asked。
Hopelessly Fred tossed his arms heavenward。
〃Open a case！〃 he roared。
At ten o'clock； when they were still at table and reaching a state of
such mutual appreciation that soon they would be calling each other by
their first names； Gridley brought in a written message he had taken from
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the telephone。 It was a long…distance call from Yonkers； sent by James； the
faithful chauffeur。
Fred read it aloud。
〃I got that party the articles he needed；〃 it read； 〃and saw him safe on a
train to Boston。 On the way back I got arrested for speeding the car on the
way down。 Please send money。 I am in a cell in Yonkers。〃
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CHAPTER 8。 THE BOY WHO
CRIED WOLF
Before he finally arrested him； 〃Jimmie〃 Sniffen had seen the man
with the golf…cap； and the blue eyes that laughed at you； three times。 Twice；
unexpectedly； he had come upon him in a wood road and once on Round
Hill where the stranger was pretending to watch the sunset。 Jimmie knew
people do not climb hills merely to look at sunsets； so he was not deceived。
He guessed the man was a German spy seeking gun sites； and secretly
vowed to 〃stalk〃 him。 From that moment； had the stranger known it； he
was as good as dead。 For a boy scout with badges on his sleeve for
〃stalking〃 and 〃path…finding；〃 not to boast of others for 〃gardening〃 and
〃cooking；〃 can outwit any spy。 Even had； General Baden…Powell remained
in Mafeking and not invented the boy scout； Jimmie Sniffen would have
been one。 Because； by birth he was a boy； and by inheritance； a scout。 In
Westchester County the Sniffens are one of the county families。 If it isn't a
Sarles； it's a Sniffen； and with Brundages； Platts； and Jays； the Sniffens
date back to when the acres of the first Charles Ferris ran from the Boston
post road to the coach road to Albany； and when the first Gouverneur
Morris stood on one of his hills and saw the Indian canoes in the Hudson
and in the Sound and rejoiced that all the land between belonged to him。
If you do not believe in heredity； the fact that Jimmie's great…great…
grandfather was a scout for General Washington and hunted deer； and even
bear； over exactly the same hills where Jimmie hunted weasles will count
for nothing。 It will not explain why to Jimmie； from Tarrytown to Port
Chester； the hills； the roads； the woods； and the cow…paths； caves； streams；
and springs hidden in the woods were as familiar as his own kitchen
garden；
Nor explain why； when you could not see a Pease and Elliman 〃For
Sale〃 sign nailed to a tree； Jimmie could see in the highest branches a last
year's bird's nest。
Or why； when he was out alone playing Indians and had sunk his
scout's axe into a fallen log and then scalped the log； he felt that once
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before in those same woods he had trailed that same Indian； and with his
own tomahawk split open his skull。 Sometimes when he knelt to drink at a
secret spring in the forest； the autumn leaves would crackle and he would
raise his eyes fearing to see a panther facing him。
But there ain't no panthers in Westchester；〃 Jimmie would reassure
himself。 And in the distance the roar of an automobile climbing a hill with
the muffler open would seem to suggest he was right。 But still Jimmie
remembered once before he had knelt at that same spring； and that when
he raised his eyes he had faced a crouching panther。 〃Mebbe dad told me it
happened to grandpop；〃 Jimmie would explain； 〃or I dreamed it； or； mebbe；
I read it in a story book。〃
The 〃German spy〃 mania attacked Round Hill after the visit to the boy
scouts of Clavering Gould； the war correspondent。 He was spending the
week end with 〃Squire〃 Harry Van Vorst； and as young Van Vorst； besides
being a justice of the peace and a Master of Beagles and President of the
Country Club； was also a local 〃councilman〃 for the Round Hill Scouts； he
brought his guest to a camp…fire meeting to talk to them。 In deference to
his audience； Gould told them of the boy scouts he had seen in Belgium
and of the part they were playing in the great war。 It was his peroration
that made trouble。
〃And any day；〃 he assured his audience； 〃this country may be at war
with Germany； and every one of you boys will be expected to do his bit。
You can begin now。 When the Germans land it will be near New Haven； or
New Bedford。 They will first capture the munition works at Springfield；
Hartford； and Watervliet so as to make sure of their ammunition； and then
they will start for New York City。 They will follow the New Haven and
New York Central railroads； and march straight through this village。 I
haven't the least doubt；〃 exclaimed the enthusiastic war prophet； 〃that at
this moment German spies are as thick in Westchester as blackberries。
They are here to select camp sites and gun positions； to find out which of
these hills enfilade the others and to learn to what extent their armies can
live on the country。 They are counting the cows； the horses； the barns
where fodder is stored； and they are marking down on their maps the wells
and streams。〃
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As though at that moment a German spy might be crouching behind
the door； Mr。 Gould spoke in a whisper。 〃Keep your eyes open！〃 he
commanded。 〃Watch every stranger。 If he acts suspiciously； get word
quick to your sheriff； or to Judge Van Vorst here。 Remember the scouts'
motto； 'Be prepared！'〃
That night as the scouts walked home； behind each wall and hayrick
they saw spiked helmets。
Young Van Vorst was extremely annoyed。
〃Next time you talk to my scouts；〃 he declared； you'll talk on 'Votes for
Women。' After what you said to…night every real estate agent who dares
open a map will be arrested。 We're not trying to drive people away from
Westchester； we're trying to sell them building sites。〃
〃YOU are not！〃 retorted his friend； 〃you own half the county now； and
you're trying to buy the other half。〃
〃I'm a justice of the peace；〃 explained Van Vorst。 〃I don't know WHY I
am； except that they wished it on me。 All I get out of it is trouble。 The
Italians make charges against my best friends for overspeeding and I have
to fine them； and my best friends bring charges against the Italians for
poaching； and when I fine the Italians； they send me Black Hand letters。
And now every day I'll be asked to issue a warrant for a German spy who
is selecting gun sites。 And he will turn out to be a millionaire who is tired
of living at the Ritz…Carlton and wants to 'own his own home' and his own
golf…links。 And he'll be so hot at being arrested that he'll take his millions
to Long Island and
