Chapter 12: Search Party
Empty Camp:
Camp Ivanhoe, July 19th, mid-morning-
An empty camp greeted Scoutmaster Ward and Chef. The two had pulled ashore and walked to the camp and found it deserted. However, there was evidence that the troop had been there: fresh footprints and spit-out toothpaste proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that the boys had come this way.
"They were here alright," Ward said as he looked at the evidence.
"Any idea where they went?" Chef asked.
Ward thought about it: the troops had come up through the ranks hearing about Sam Shakusky's adventure. It made perfect sense that they would try to emulate him.
"I think I know where they're going?"
Chef looked lost in thought for a moment but then replied, "Mile 3.25 Tidal Inlet?"
"Yes."
"But it doesn't exist anymore. It was washed away in the storm."
"I don't think that's the point Chef. I think that they're trying to relive Shakusky's trek."
"If that's the case, we can hop in the boat and beat them there."
"How much fuel do we have?"
Chef thought about it and then realized that with a full tank they would be able to make the inlet but would have to refill on the way back.
"We could make it…but we'd have to get fuel right away and there is nowhere to get fuel around there."
"I could contact Captain Sharp…but that would probably be a fiasco."
"What should we do?" Chef asked, "I mean we just can't go back without them."
He looked at Chef and realized that the lad had missed out on the first adventure. It was a shame that he hadn't been able to take part but his duty had called.
Ward knew where the troop was up to: They were following in the footsteps of their fore-bearers. It didn't matter that the tidal inlet was no more, it was the principle behind it that mattered. Maybe they should go.
"I was thinking," Ward said, "This could actually be a good experience for the troop."
"What?" Chef asked in amazement, "But they ran away!"
"I know, but maybe they can come closer together."
"Closer together?"
"Yes. I think there's been some issues between some of the boys."
"Sullivan?"
Ward cocked his head at Chef and then asked, "What makes you say that?"
Chef proceeded to tell him about the other day; how Sullivan hadn't shown up for KP duty and how negatively Tucker spoke of him.
Ward listened to Chef and then told him how Sullivan had had a falling out with Tucker. He explained that the two had gone from sharing friendship to sharing animosity and how the rest of the troop had begun to exclude Sullivan.
"Then why did they all run off together?" Chef asked.
"Maybe they didn't."
"Really?"
"I think," Ward put it altogether, "That Sullivan decided to run away and that the rest of the troop went after him." Ward took his campaign hat off, sighed, and continued, "I really believe that Tucker led the boys after Sullivan to bring him back. Jiminy Crickett, how did I not see it?"
Chef thought about this for a moment and then said, "Makes sense to me."
"I have a bad feeling that it's become a manhunt."
"Think Tucker will want to rough him up?"
"Yes."
"So what do we do?"
"I'm not sure...we have to find them but at the same time I want them to work their problems out. I don't think the boys will let Tucker and Sullivan come to blows."
"I don't know," said Chef, "When I saw them it seemed like Tucker really had it in for Sullivan."
"Then we need to get a hold of Captain Sharp."
"What about letting the fort know?"
Ward thought it over: he didn't want to let Commander Pierce know if he could help it. Instead he'd get in touch with someone he could trust, "I have to send a message."
A Message:
The Command Tent-
The sounds of a message in Morse Code caught the attention of Khaki Scout Emmett 'Morse Code' Morse. The Signal Scout had just come on shift with his partner, Tanner Hagen. Morse took the message then passed it over to his supervisor, an older scout with curly, rust-colored hair named Izod.
LJ Izod had been on the night shift but was spending an additional few hours during this morning to oversee the command tent due to the day shift scout, Randall Howard, being out with a bad case of indigestion. Izod was tired and falling asleep until he read the message. Instantly his energy was reinvigorated. He sat up, told the two scouts to hold the fort, and went in search of Cousin Ben.
He found Cousin Ben at Supply and Resources and handed him the message while Skotak looked on. He then shared it with his younger cousin.
"It sounds like Scoutmaster Ward wants the troop to make it to their destination, but it also sounds like he needs to stop them," said Izod.
"I agree," replied Skotak, "If it wasn't for the fact that the troop is on a manhunt, then Scoutmaster Ward and Captain Sharp would let them continue."
"Tucker has the troop tracking down the wayward scout," said Cousin Ben, "Just like you guys did."
Skotak gave a sheepish look.
Izod yawned, rubbed his eyes, and said, "Maybe we should let them work their differences out...like we did with Shakusky."
Skotak and Cousin raised an eyebrow each as one.
"Want are you suggesting camper?" asked Cousin Ben, "That we lead Scoutmaster Ward and Captain Sharp astray?"
"Well, we're not 100 percent sure where they are going," replied Izod, "I mean they could be going to where Shakusky and his girl went, but maybe they're going to get a better view of the landing."
"That means that they could be going to the easternmost point of the island," said Cousin Ben.
Skotak said, "Of course! The Moon will appear closest to there than anywhere else on the island!"
Cousin Ben thought for a moment and then said to the two, "I have a plan…"
He detailed the plan to the two boys and then told Skotak to relay it to Deluca. Then he and Izod hurried back to the Command Tent.
Once inside, Cousin Ben shooed Morse from his seat and then sent Ward his reply.
Reply:
Camp Ivanhoe-
Ward looked at the reply from Scoutmaster Mazursky, AKA Cousin Ben, and realized that it made sense. Now all he had to do was let Chef and Captain Sharp know.
Driving Lessons:
Captain Sharp and Deputy Shakusky-
"Keep your speed slow," Sharp said to his deputy.
Sam gave Sharp a sideways glance and a little grin then accelerated.
"You said I'm going too slow?"
"You know what I said."
Sam smiled and let up on the gas and brought the car down to 20mph.
"How am I doing?"
"Aside from speeding, not bad."
Sam giggled.
"Think I'm ready for my driver's test?"
"No."
The pair looked at one another and smiled.
Sam had been practicing for two weeks now but knew he wasn't quite ready for his driver's test. All he had done so far was drive around the island. He still needed experience driving in the city as well as on the interstate.
As for now, it was another circuit around New Penzance. They were about halfway through their rounds as they came upon Sam's old haunt: Camp Ivanhoe.
The camp, a rectangular compound with walls made of logs that encompassed an area that featured two rows of tents, sat in the middle of a large open space that was surrounded by old-growth pine forest. Camp Ivanhoe should have been deserted due to the Hullabaloo, but Sharp and Shakusky found that that was not quite so.
Two figures walked under the sign that said Camp Ivanhoe, and exited the camp.
Deputy Shakusky smiled as he slowed the car down and came to a stop alongside the pair.
"Hello Scoutmaster Ward, hi Chef."
"Hello Shakus-Deputy Shakusky," Ward said with a smile as he corrected himself.
"Hi Sam," replied Chef, "Hello Captain Sharp."
Sharp exited the vehicle, said 'hello' to Chef and then said, "Morning Randy."
"Morning," Ward said.
"I thought you'd be over at the Hullabaloo."
"About that…"
I can't wait until Retirement:
15 Minutes Later-
Captain Duffy Sharp thought about everything that Ward had just told him. It all sounded like September 1965 all over again. He glanced at his deputy who turned his head to look at him. Sharp could see it in Sam's eyes that he thought the same as well. He sighed and thought to himself, I can't wait until retirement.
"So you think that one scout decided to run off and copy what Deputy Shakusky did and that the rest went after him?"
"Yes," said Ward
"Who else knows about this?"
"Just one other scoutmaster and three other scouts."
"They don't happen to be some of the ones from last time do they?"
Ward smiled, "Izod, Skotak, and Deluca."
Chef said to Sam, "I think they've all taken a page out of your book."
Sam gave a little giggle, "I didn't think that I was so inspiring."
"I've been in contact with Scoutmaster Mazursky at Fort Lebanon. Word is that the boys are wanting to be at the eastern end of the island in time for the astronauts to walk on the Moon."
Sharp looked to Ward and said, "I suppose we should form a search party and go find them."
"I think we should let them keep going," said Sam.
"What?" Sharp asked his deputy, "Why they're not too far from us if they're going there?"
"Because after I ran off, everyone ended up better off. Even though I left the Khaki Scouts, I and the troop became friends…even Redford and I did too."
Sharp knew that Sam had a point. Following the incident, all was well between Sam and Troop 55. Even things had become well between he and Redford. A group of wayward scouts could fix their issues while they went through the woods.
""I think you're right Sam," Sharp said, "They're trained scouts and it's only a few more hours until the astronauts land."
"I agree too," answered Ward, "In the meantime, we can wait at here or at the station and then go and get them tonight."
"What about the Hullabaloo?" asked Sam.
"I have Scoutmaster Mazursky covering down for me. There's so much going on that I doubt anyone would notice one troop missing, especially seeing as we have some friends looking out for us."
"Well then," Chef said, "I guess we better rest up for tonight."
"Captain Sharp," Sam said.
"Yes?"
"Can you drop me off at the Bishop's?"
"Why?"
"I think Suzy would like to see the Moon tonight."
Sharp smiled at the boy, "OK, let's go."
The Eagle has Landed:
Scott Sullivan-
It was now mid-afternoon and Scott was making his way through the woods. He was still sore from the pounding that he had taken from Tucker. It was through sheer anger and a bit of luck that he had taken down and humbled his rival.
Besting Gregory Tucker wasn't what he was thinking about though; rather it was what Tucker had said. He now knew the reason behind Tucker's dislike of him. The truth had finally come out. Scott was numbed by what he had been told but at the same time he felt bad for Tucker. The confident and sometimes brash scout had just been humiliated in front of the entire troop and now his dirty laundry, and Scott's, was left hanging in the breeze for all to see.
As he continued through the woods on his meandering way, he could only feel sorry for Tucker. Funny how that worked out.
He walked for a few more minutes and then dropped his pack. Reaching into it, he took Bishop's radio, wound it, and tuned in to Walter Cronkite.
The sage voice of the seasoned anchorman informed Scott that the Eagle module had separated from the Orbiter 10 minutes ago and was on its way to the surface of the Moon.
Scott sat down, took out his third-to-last cigarette, lit it and began to smoke.
At 4:18 pm. with Tucker and the troop forgotten, Cronkite announced to the world, in words that would be cemented into human history, 'The Eagle has landed.'
"WOO-HOO!" he shouted out in joy as he jumped to his feet, caring not if anyone heard him.
Soon Cronkite announced that the astronauts would be stepping onto the Moon just before 3 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time or 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Scott looked at his watch and saw that he had just under five hours to go. He had plenty of time to reach his destination. For now, lest he be seen by any search parties, he decided to fix some Tang and lay low.
Fort Lebanon-
Khaki Scout Hiram Schwartz sprinted out of the mess hall and quickly made his way to the command tent. He found Secretary McIntyre and Commander Pierce and relayed the information to them. Pierce's normally gruff face turned into a smile. He turned to a seated scout and said, "Izod, get me on the PA system."
Izod did as told, "Attention! Attention! Standby for important information from Commander Pierce."
Pierce took hold of the microphone and announced the Moon Landing over the fort's PA system by reiterating Walter Cronkite's words, "The Eagle has Landed!"
All across the camp things came to a stop:
Spinner Robinson looked up from his first aid test, a prone Tiger McNally (with simulated compound fracture to the tibia) and looked up at the sky in wonder.
Frenchie Lemieux, on KP duty, was about to sling a trash bag into a dumpster and stopped mid-swing. Hearing the message about the Eagle, he smiled.
Sebastian Pulaski, strapped into the zipline, heard the news…and was then pushed off the precipice of the tower by Scoutmaster Greene. He hollered in joy as he went.
Kevin "Blackie" Muldoon, Charlie "Horse" Atwater, and Archibald, "Archie" Black puffed from a cigarette that they passed between them, and then paused to listen to the bulletin. His attention held, Blackie forgot about the burning cigarette in his hand, and received an unpleasant surprise as the almost burned out cigarette burnt his fingers. He let out a yelp of pain and received a razz from his fellow Black Sheep.
Outside the north wall of the fort, Troop 41 was hard at work assisting in the set-up of tonight's fireworks. Working under the guidance of two professional firework technicians and Scoutmaster Rosen of Troop 41. The news from Commander Pierce stole their attention away from the task at hand.
Four members of the troop looked up at the nearest loudspeaker and then to one another. The four boys, Ollie Oliver, Hef Heflin, Kip Foley, and Fruit Frahm threw their arms up and cheered.
Junior Scoutmaster Deluca, who was waiting to hear from Scoutmaster Ward and Cousin Ben, was currently giving swimming instructions when he and his swimmers heard the loudspeaker. The swimmers grabbed onto the dock, Deluca crossed his arms and leaned against a post, then let out a cheer as word came from Commander Pierce about the astronauts' landing. Unfortunately, Deluca lost his balance and fell in with his swimmers who promptly practiced their new lifesaving skills on their instructor.
Roosevelt was hurrying over to the Supply and Resources office to meet with Skotak when he heard the news. He quickly turned his head in the direction of the loudspeaker as he walked and continued on as he received the news.
"WHOOP!" the normally subdued scout cheered before he turned his head in his direction of travel…and walked face first into a bulletin board.
