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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。〃
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 try to break into the
Piping Rock Club。 And； it will be your fault！〃
The young justice of the peace was right。 At least so far as
Jimmie Sniffen was concerned； the words of the war prophet had
filled one mind with unrest。 In the past Jimmie's idea of a
holiday had been to spend it scouting in the woods。 In this
pleasure he was selfish。 He did not want companions who talked；
and trampled upon the dead leaves so that they frightened the
wild animals and gave the Indians warning。 Jimmie liked to
pretend。 He liked to fill the woods with wary and hostile
adversaries。 It was a game of his own inventing。 If he crept to
the top of a hill and on peering over it； surprised a fat
woodchuck； he pretended the woodchuck was a bear； weighing two
hundred pounds； if； himself unobserved； he could lie and watch；
off its guard； a rabbit； squirrel； or； most difficult of all； a
crow； it became a deer and that night at supper Jimmie made
believe he was eating venison。 Sometimes he was a scout of the
Continental Army and carried despatches to General Washington。
The rules of that game were that if any man ploughing in the
fields； or cutting trees in the woods； or even approaching along
the same road； saw Jimmie before Jimmie saw him； Jimmie was taken
prisoner； and before sunrise was shot as a spy。 He was seldom
shot。 Or else why on his sleeve was the badge for 〃stalking。〃 But
always to have to make believe became monotonous。 Even 〃dry
shopping〃 along the Rue de la Paix when you pretend you can have
anything you see in any window； leaves one just as rich； but
unsatisfied。 So the advice of the war correspondent to seek out
German spies came to Jimmie like a day at the circus； like a week
at the Danbury Fair。 It not only was a call to arms； to protect
his flag and home； but a chance to play in earnest the game in
which he most delighted。 No longer need he pretend。 No longer
need he waste his energies in watching； unobserved； a greedy
rabbit rob a carrot field。 The game now was his fellow…man and
his enemy； not only his enemy； but the enemy of his country。
In his first effort Jimmie was not entirely successful。 The man
looked the part perfectly； he wore an auburn beard； disguising
spectacles； and he carried a suspicious knapsack。 But he turned
out to be a professor from the Museum of Natural History； who
wanted to dig for Indian arrow…heads。 And when Jimmie threatened
to arrest him； the indignant gentleman arrested Jimmie。 Jimmie
escaped only by leading the professor to a secret cave of his
own； though on some one else's property； where one not only could
dig for arrow…heads； but find them。 The professor was delighted；
but for Jimmie it was a great disappointment。 The week following
Jimmie was again disappointed。
On the bank of the Kensico Reservoir； he came upon a man who was
acting in a mysterious and suspicious manner。 He was making notes
in a book； and his runabout which he had concealed in a wood road
was stuffed with blue…prints。 It did not take Jimmie long to
guess his purpose。 He was planning to blow up the Kensico dam；
and cut off the water supply of New York City。 Seven millions of
people without water！ With out firing a shot； New York must
surrender！ At the thought Jimmie shuddered； and at the risk of
his life by clinging to the tail of a motor truck； he followed
the runabout into White Plains。 But there it developed the
mysterious stranger； so far from wishing to destroy the Kensico
dam； was the State Engineer who had built it； and； also； a large
part of the Panama Canal。 Nor in his third effort was Jimmie more
successful。 From the heights of Pound Ridge he discovered on a
hilltop below him a man working alone upon a basin of concrete。
The man was a German…American； and already on Jimmie's list of
〃suspects。〃 That for the use of the German artillery he was
preparing a concrete bed for a siege gun was only too evident。
But closer investigation proved that the concrete was only two
inches thick。 And the hyphenated one explained that the basin was
built over a spring； in the waters of which he planned to erect a
fountain and raise gold fish。 It was a bitter blow。 Jimmie became
discouraged。 Meeting Judge Van Vorst one day in the road he told
him his troubles。 The young judge proved unsympathetic。 〃My
advice to you； Jimmie；〃 he said； 〃is to go slow。 Accusing
everybody of espionage is a very serious matter。 If you call a
man a spy； it's sometimes hard for him to disprove it； and the
name sticks。 So； go slowvery slow。 Before you arrest any more
people； come to me first for a warrant。〃
So； the next time Jimmie proceeded with caution。
Besides being a farmer in a small way； Jimmie's father was a
handy man with tools。 He had no union card； but； in laying
shingles along a blue chalk line； few were as expert。 It was
August； there was no school； and Jimmie was carrying a
dinner…pail to where his father was at work on a new barn。 He
made a cross…cut through the woods； and came upon the young man
in the golf…cap。 The stranger nodded； and his eyes； which seemed
to be always laughing； smiled pleasantly。 But he was deeply
tanned； and； from the waist up； held himself like a soldier； so；
at once； Jimmie mistrusted him。 Early the next morning Jimmie met
him again。 It had not been raining； but the clothes of the young
man were damp。 Jimmie guessed that while the dew was still on the
leaves the young man had been forcing his way through underbrush。
The stranger must have remembered Jimmie； for he laughed and
exclaimed：
〃Ah； my friend with the dinner…pail！ It's luck you ha