Hugh made up his mind, on the spur of the moment, that it might be unwise for him to attempt anything at once. He wanted a little time to think things over, and lay out some plan of campaign, for Hugh did not, as a rule, believe in doing things hastily.

Besides, Benjy must have noticed him talking with Tom, and would immediately jump to the conclusion that it was a conspiracy between them. The result would be disastrous for the success of any future missionary work.

When Benjy came face to face with Hugh, the latter spoke pleasantly. He noticed that the boy colored up, and, although he answered the friendly salutation, he immediately assumed a reckless, indifferent air, and went along whistling as though he had noticed their heads together, and would snap his fingers at them.
30

Hugh found himself wondering whether it could be conscious guilt that made Benjy fire up so, or simply boyish indignation over being suspected and watched in that way.

“It’s going to be some job managing that boy,” the scout master candidly admitted to himself; but, then, somehow, he always found additional interest in a task that tried his patience, and his powers of endurance, for there could be very little satisfaction in beating an antagonist who was handicapped.

Hugh was unusually quiet on that evening at the supper table, a fact his folks may have noticed. But then they were accustomed to seeing the boy look grave, for owing to the position he held in the scouts, Hugh often had to wrestle with matters that did not give most of the other fellows a moment’s thought.

Later on, Hugh, having gotten his lessons, observed that he was going over to the home of Professor Marvin, where there was to be a little meeting of people interested in town improvement.
31

The smile that broke over the face of his mother at hearing him say this so modestly told of the pride she took in the fact that Hugh, as the assistant scout master, should be consulted at all when events of considerable magnitude connected with uplift movements were being discussed.

It certainly must make any mother’s heart beat with joy when realizing that her son, though only a boy in years, had become a factor in town, that he has to be consulted, and his aid asked whenever there is a movement on foot looking to bettering conditions of living in the community.

When Hugh reached the house where Professor Marvin lived, he found a little company assembled. Besides a number of the leading ladies identified with the league that had already done so much for the betterment of the town, there were three pastors present, the mayor of Oakvale, Doctor Kane, always to be relied on in things of this sort, and three influential citizens, who like many other people had begun to despair of any concerted movement directed to change the wretched conditions then prevailing.

There had been rambling talk going on. Evidently they had been waiting for the arrival of Mayor Strunk, whom Hugh had seen pass in.
32

Mr. Marvin now opened the meeting, which he said would be an informal affair.

“We know that every person in Oakvale who has taken the trouble to pay any attention to the way things are going,” he began to say, “has been pained by the conditions prevailing. It is the consensus of opinion that something must be done, and that immediately, to better things. The only question that has kept this movement from crystallizing before has been the lack of cohesion; no one seemed to be able to present a proper plan that would unite all the different organizations interested in the good name of our town. And that is the object of this meeting to-night. We must all get together, and put our shoulders to the wheel.”

Mayor Strunk, seeing that most eyes were immediately directed toward his quarter, got up to say his little piece. As usual, he was for procrastination. He had attended several other meetings during the winter just passed and always advised going slowly, so as not to make any mistake. The ladies had now become indignant, and quite out of patience with him.
33

So when the suave politician commenced by saying that he realized as well as any one the need of something being done to improve living in Oakvale, and then went on to repeat the old advice not to be too hasty, because Rome was not built in a day, and all that sort of thing, there were quick glances passing around, and one lady had to be held down by main force, so eager was she to take the speaker to task, regardless of parliamentary rules.

Hardly had the mayor finished speaking, than she was on her feet, with flashing eyes. A ripple of applause greeted her taking the floor, because those present understood how fluently Mrs. Beverly could speak when her heart was full of a subject.
34

“Mayor Strunk advises delay, and delay,” she broke out with, indignantly. “I decline to agree with his policy. I have heard it advocated many times before, and nothing was ever done. The time to strike is when the iron is hot! Conditions are daily growing more unbearable. To-day our fair town has fallen from the position we once so proudly boasted. There are hidden snares for the feet of our young men and boys, about which the police must know. They should be wiped out pitilessly. There are numberless nuisances that are painful to the eyes and noses of sensitive people; these should be rigorously pursued with fines and other penalties until they are abated. If we have not laws on the books to cover all these offences let us see to it that they are immediately placed there. Then there is another crying evil that should be stopped without delay. I refer to several dangerous crossings where accidents have been known to happen, and at any day a terrible tragedy may stun the community. Listen while I tell you something that by the merest accident I witnessed myself, and only a few hours ago.”

Then, in graphic language, she went on to describe the affair at the crossing.

“Those little children were anxious to get home. They waited all of five minutes, and there was not the first chance given them to cross over, so stupid and selfish have the drivers and chauffeurs in Oakvale become, because the law is not strictly enforced. Then that one little chit, Anita Burns, bravely started across, eager to get to where an anxious mother waited for her. I saw a team of horses towering over her, and my heart literally stood in my mouth with fear.”
35

She had everybody intensely interested by this time. Hugh drew back a little for he feared she might mention him by name, and he shrank from publicity.

“Just in the nick of time I saw a boy dart forward,” continued the lady passionately. “He was lost to my sight for a brief period, and then when I thought I should faint with fear and suspense, I saw him appear on the opposite walk, carrying the child, uninjured, in his arms. He set her down on her feet, waved his hand to her, and then walked off with several of his scout chums, just as unconcerned, apparently, as though it might be nothing unusual; nor was it, my friends, for by this time we have all become accustomed to hear about—Hugh Hardin doing valiant things like that.”

She paused, because there was a wild outburst of cheers.

Hugh was as red as fire.
36

“If I had known that you saw that little happening, Mrs. Beverly, and meant to speak of it here, I might not have come over, though I certainly did want to hear what was said and done,” Hugh managed to stammer, at which there was another round of cheers accompanied by hand clapping.

“That is the best part of it all, Hugh,” said the lady. “The fellow who can do a clever thing like that and still shrink from publicity, doubly wins our admiration. But, my friends, I only mentioned the incident to show you how at any day there may take place a terrible tragedy at one of these unprotected crossings, where our innocent children have to pass over, going to and coming home from school. Now what shall we do about it? Must we wait until a fatality comes about before we combine all forces for good to crush these menaces to our peace and happiness? I say to you the hour has struck, and the women of this town are at last determined to sweep every obstacle out of their way in order to attain their end.”

Mayor Strunk threw up his hands.
37

“I surrender, ladies!” he hastened to exclaim, with the air of a man who knew how to get in out of the wet when it began raining. “Just as you say, the time for delay has passed, and from this night forward you can count on me as being with you, heart and soul. That little girl, Anita Burns, is my own grandchild, some of you may remember, and if anything had happened to her could I ever forgive myself? I guess it needed something like this to take the scales from my eyes.”

Everybody looked happy when they heard the mayor say this. Really, it had been his system of procrastination that had kept matters from reaching a climax long before. No one professed to understand just why he should have acted as he did, since his position as mayor carried no salary with it.

Professor Marvin later on called upon Hugh, as representing the scouts of Oakvale, to outline the idea he had in mind of having the boys made assistant police, with authority to wear badges, and power to order arrests in cases of emergency.

The mayor was somewhat dubious about the propriety of so radical a proceeding.
38

“It would be almost revolutionary,” he observed, “but then we happen to know how well Hugh can be trusted to keep his troop under strict control, and they have before this amply proven worthy of the citizens’ full trust. I shall call a meeting of the town council for to-morrow night, and as many of you as can, be present; I’d be glad of your backing when this scheme is thrashed out there.”

So at last the uplift movement had come to Oakvale, thanks in part to Hugh Hardin and his fellow scouts.