Temple continued, "and
bearing the signatures of three scouts--John Weston, Harry Bonner and
George Wentworth. These scouts testify that they were in Catskill
village drinking soda water----"
"That's all they ever go there for," a voice shouted.
"They saw Hervey Willetts stop a runaway horse, saw him unfasten the
harness of the animal when it fell, frightened and exhausted, and saw
him procure and pour cool water on the animal's head. This was never
reported in camp till Tom Slade made inquiries. Hervey Willetts had
neglected to report it."
"He's a punk scout," some one called.
"I have here also," Mr. Temple continued, "the testimony of Tom Slade
himself that Hervey Willetts climbed a tree and in a daring manner saved
a bird and its nest from the ruthless assault of an eagle. That bird's
nest, with its little occupant, hangs now in the elm tree at the corner
of the pavilion." (Great applause.)
"Thus Hervey Willetts won the animal first aid badge without so much as
knowing it. (Applause.) He had won twenty-one merit badges and he did
not know it. (Great applause.) He was then and there an Eagle Scout and
he did not know it. (Deafening cheers.) But Tom Slade knew it and said
nothing----"
"Thomas the Silent," some irreverent voice called.
"So you see, my friends, it really made no difference whether our young
hero tracked an animal or not. He was an Eagle Scout. He could go no
higher. He had reached the pinnacle--no, not quite that.
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