The Boy Scout Treasure Hunters | Page 2

seen but I'll hide right there in the building till it
closes and then get down the fire-escape."

"I guess somebody'd see you go down and a policeman would get you."
"I guess they wouldn't. I wouldn't try till late at night when there wasn't
anybody around. Then I'd pick a dark night, and that fire-escape is in
the back end of the building, so I guess there wouldn't nobody see me."
"Oh, mebbe there wouldn't. Supposin' you did get away. Where'd you
go?"
"I'd have that all fixed. I'd put on my other clothes and pitch my
uniform away and that night would get me twenty-five miles where
nobody'd think of looking for me."
"Oh, I dunno. I guess you'd be easy picked up. Anybody could tell you
a mile off. All to do is to look for a broom handle out walking all by
itself."
"Broom handle yourself, Glen Mason. I've got the makings of a big
man if ever I'd get enough to eat."
"You go high enough up to be a big man, but you've stretched too much.
If you'd ever learn to be a contortionist and tie yourself into three knots
close together, you'd do better."
"You're always saying something mean. I wish I hadn't told you my
plan at all."
"I won't do anything to your old plan."
"I ain't so sure. 'Twouldn't be above ye to steal it."
"I s'pose you dare me to do it."
"Yes, I dare ye to do it."
"An' you think I'd steal a plan from a mate?"
"I think you'd do anything."

There were many who had just as poor an opinion of Glen. He himself
found it remarkably easy to do mean and low acts and had almost
ceased to wonder at himself. Every day seemed to find a lower level for
his setting. Nixon had correctly guessed his thoughts. Already he was
turning over in his mind the feasibility of Nixon's plan of escape and
wondering if he could himself take advantage of it. He had been in the
reform school over a year, but it had not reformed him. The new
superintendent, with his kindness, had won the hearts of many of the
most wayward boys, but no impression had he made on Glen. As a
matter of fact the boy rather laughed at his foolishness. To put boys on
their honor, to trust the merit boys to go into town without guard, all
was new policy, and the only interest Glen had in it was to take
advantage of it. Let him get one single chance to go to town alone and
the reform school would see no more of him. Just what he would do he
did not know. Sometimes a fleeting thought of going home to see the
mother whose heart must be almost broken by his waywardness and the
young sister and brother who were carefully guarded from knowledge
of the disgrace he had brought upon them would come to him. But
though he was supposed to be dead to impulses for reform there always
crept into his mind the desire that his return home should be only when
he had enough money and enough honor so that he should not be
welcomed as a penitent but as a conquering hero. Glen was much given
to great thoughts of the mighty things he would do and the high stations
he would occupy. Unfortunately his pride of thought had never made
him insist that his inclination yield to right instead of to desire. Glen
Mason's fault was easily summed up--he desired always his own way
and had so allowed this inclination to fill his life that he was utterly
regardless of others. Given his own way he was a pleasant chum, a
good friend and a brave comrade.
When Glen wanted a thing very badly he would go to great lengths to
get it. Having set for his goal the thirty days of good behavior marks he
was bound to win it, though greatly to the surprise of the officers who
had never known Glen to pass so long a time without fracturing a great
number of rules. No sooner was his time up than he asked leave to go
to town to visit the dentist.

The Superintendent was rather disturbed by the request. He had been
both pleased and surprised by Glen's good behavior. Now that the boy
had earned the privilege of going to town without guard he did not wish
to spoil his good work by a refusal to trust him. Yet he was suspicious.
He asked that Glen be sent to the office.
"Why do you want to go to the dentist, Glen?" he asked kindly. "What
attention do your teeth need?"
Glen was confused. So far as he knew