CHAPTER 20 Knights of the Round Table

In the Cubs’ meeting room at the church, parents had gathered to witness a knighting ceremony of the entire Pack.

The room had been gaily decorated with colorful banners made by the boys of Den 2. Chairs had been arranged in a perfect circle to represent the Round Table.

Earlier in the evening Den 1 already had offered its ceremonial performance. Now it was time for Den 2 to show what it could do.

From the ante-room where the Cubs were scrambling into their suits of armor, a buzz of conversation issued forth.

“Hurry up, fellows!” Dan urged the others. “We’re three minutes past starting time now. Everyone all set?”

“I can’t get this flashlight to work,” complained Red. As a torch bearer, he was assigned to hold a long pole with a flashlight attached to the end.

“You’ve been playing with it too much,” Brad told him. “Luckily, I brought some extra batteries. Here, put this in, and we’ll be ready to start.”

“I’m going to forget my lines,” Babe mumbled, repeating them over and over.

“You’ll do fine,” Brad encouraged him. “All ready, fellows? Dan, you’re to do the knighting honors. So get in there!”

A trumpet, slightly off-key, blared a triumphal salute.

Pulling his armor into place, Dan marched into the ceremonial hall to take his position in front of a torch bearer. Addressing the onlooking parents, he said clearly:

“Among us tonight there are a few who have not yet joined the Knights of the Round Table. Although these newcomers have no armor of steel, they are equipped with armor of good will, squareness and honor. So we are gathered here to welcome them into our circle. Bring the first man forward!”

Brad, holding a torch high, led Jack Phillips from the sidelines. At a signal, the boy knelt on his left knee in front of Dan, who said:

“As a knight of the Cub Scout organization, you must promise always to do your part. You must follow our leader, obey his orders and give good will.”

“I promise always to do my best,” slowly repeated Jack, who had been coached in his lines.

With his wooden sword, Dan tapped the boy lightly on the shoulder.

“I dub thee a Knight of the Round Table,” he said. “As a knight and member of Den 2, you are expected to help with all our crusades. Arise!”

As Jack scrambled up, everyone cheered and clapped. The ceremony however, was not over.

“We welcome you, Sir Jack!” Dan continued. “Don your armor!”

A suit fashioned from cardboard, burlap and roofing discs had been prepared for the boy. Babe and Midge helped him get into the costume.

Then as Jack reappeared all decked out as a knight, the other boys formed a double column, facing each other. Swords were raised above their heads to form a long archway. Jack walked through to take his place at the end of the line.

Next, Babe, who was only a Bobcat, received the Order of the Wolf. Other promotions and achievement awards were given out.

As a climax to the knighting ceremony, Dan was promoted from Wolf to Bear rank. The boy had worked hard to win the honor, learning rules of safety, making many handicraft articles and learning how to tie difficult knots.

His most appreciated task however, had been the making of a fifty-page Den scrapbook.

In the book the boy had included press notices of Den meetings and activities. Ten of the pages were devoted to snapshots of the Cubs and to published accounts concerning the missing money box and its recovery.

“This scrapbook will be one of the Den’s most treasured possessions,” Mr. Hatfield assured him at conclusion of the knighting ceremony. “It will serve always as a nice reminder of our little adventure.”

Before the evening was over, the Cubs were to have another very pleasant surprise. Soon the Cub Master made the announcement for which everyone had been waiting. Den 2 had won first prize in the knighting ceremony, with Brad and Dan being awarded individual honors for having the most original suits of armor.

After congratulations were over, Dan thought to ask Mr. Hatfield if he had heard what was to become of the tramp, Carl Blakemore.

“He was in jail the last I heard,” the Cub leader replied. “I was told though that Mr. Merrimac offered to go his bail. He investigated and found that the fellow had told the truth about being his nephew.”

“Queer that he didn’t know him by sight.”

“He’d never seen him—not even as a boy,” Mr. Hatfield explained. “It was quite humiliating for Mr. Merrimac to find out about Carl. However, he’s making the best of a bad situation, and I understand, wants to help him if he can.”

The Den Mother and her helpers had prepared a fine supper for all the Cubs. Dan and Mr. Hatfield were starting toward the table, when at the same moment they saw a newcomer enter the church meeting room.

“Why, it’s Mr. Merrimac himself!” Dan exclaimed.

The elderly man never before had attended a Cub meeting, and in fact, derived little enjoyment from social affairs.

Now his gaze wandered from Cub to Cub until he had picked out Dan and Brad from the group. Made aware that he seemed to be looking for them, they went over to speak to him.

“Well, boys,” he said heartily, “I believe I made you a little promise several days ago. And according to the code of the Cubs, a promise always must be kept. Right?”

“Right,” agreed Brad, smiling broadly. Already he had a notion as to what had brought Mr. Merrimac to the Cub meeting.

“You boys did me a big favor,” the man continued. “I never expected to see the color of my money again, but thanks to your fine organization I got nearly every penny of it back.”

“Jack Phillips had a hand in it too,” Dan reminded him.

“I am fully aware of that,” Mr. Merrimac nodded. “Fact is, I’ve talked to court officials about the lad. I mean to help him if I can.”

“He has a good home with Mrs. Jones,” Brad said hastily. “What’s more, he likes it there.”

“Oh, I have no intention of taking the boy away from her. That thought never entered my head. I did think that later on, the lad may want a little special schooling that Mrs. Jones may not be able to provide. That’s where I aim to step into the picture.”

“Why, that’s fine!” Brad exclaimed, while Dan echoed the sentiment.

“To get back to the purpose of my call here tonight,” Mr. Merrimac resumed. “You’ll remember I promised that if my money were recovered I’d not forget the church fund?”

“Yes, but we wouldn’t hold you to it,” Brad said generously.

“Tut! I always intended to give to the building fund. I was a bit testy about it because of my loss. Well, I can see you’re in a hurry to get started on those victuals, so I’ll cut it short. Here’s my donation.”

He handed Dan a check. The boy read the figure $1,500.00 and whistled softly.

“Wow! This is more than generous, Mr. Merrimac! It’s magnificent.”

“Your contribution will put the Cubs over the top!” added Brad.

“That’s all I have to say,” Mr. Merrimac declared. “I have to get back home now.”

“Stay for supper, Mr. Merrimac,” Dan urged.

“No, I want to be home,” the old man replied. “My nephew is there now, you know. Came this afternoon.”

The information was new to the boys, but they tried not to show curiosity.

“Carl will stay with me for a while,” Mr. Merrimac explained. “I was able to get him off on probation. If he leads a straight life, as I think he will, he’ll be assured of a good home with me.”

“Your heart’s in the right spot, Mr. Merrimac,” Dan declared warmly.

“Tut!” the old man chuckled, embarrassed by the praise. “Well, good-bye boys, or should I say, Sir Knights!”

A delightful social hour followed for the Cubs, their parents and friends. Among those present was Mrs. Jones, who seemed as proud of Jack as if he were her own son.

All too soon to please the Cubs, it was time for the meeting to break up. Brad began to put away the swords and other items used during the ceremony.

Coming upon the scrapbook which Dan had made, he fingered through it.

“You did a bang-up job recording the history of the Cubs,” he praised. “But why all the blank pages at the end?”

“They represent the future,” Dan laughed, stepping out of his armor. “And boy! Judging from the past, what a future we’ll have. How about it, fellows?”

“We’ll do our best to make ’er glow!” shouted Chips.

The other Cubs, gathering up their belongings, signified agreement, by giving a long and lusty wolf wail.

“A-h-h-kay Iaa!” they shouted. “W-e-e-l d-o-o-o-o our Best!”

On that note, the Cubs in a burst of enthusiasm, grabbed Dan and tossed him a little way into the air. Then, like a pack of healthy young wolves, they raced out of the meeting hall.