Fourth of July cannon which had
escaped the watchful eye of the police.
Bob Dalton stirred uneasily and flopped over in bed. The morning sun was
shining straight into his eyes.
By the time the twins were dressed and downstairs, Sure Pop was waiting
for them in the back yard. He, too, had slept late after the excitement
of the fire.
"I had hoped for a holiday today," he said, "but I can see there's going
to be plenty of scouting for me to do, even on a 'sane Fourth,' so I'm
off on my rounds. How are you two going to spend the day?"
"Going over to where the fire was, as soon as we've had our breakfast,"
said Bob. "Looks from here as if Turner Hall's still smoking."
Betty was fingering the Safety Button in Sure Pop's lapel. "What are you
doing, Betty?" asked the Safety Scout, with a twinkle.
"Turning your button right side up," Betty told him.
The merry little Colonel laughed and explained: "I have to wear it wrong
side up each day till I've done my One Day's Boost for Safety."
"Oh," said Bob. "Same as the Boy Scouts wear their neckties outside
their vests till they've done the day's good turn to somebody?"
Sure Pop nodded. "That one little rule is the biggest thing in the whole
Scout Law," he said. "The Scout who lives up to that test--doing a good
turn to somebody every day, quietly and without boasting--will be
classed alongside the greatest Scouts the world has ever known. Bring me
your _Handbook of Scout-Craft_ a moment, please, Bob. Listen to this
from page 7, now:
* * * * *
"'Another way to remind himself is to wear his Scout badge reversed
until he has done his good turn. The good turn may not be a very big
thing--help an old lady across the street; remove a banana skin from the
pavement so that people may not fall; remove from streets or roads
broken glass, dangerous to automobile or bicycle tires'--to say
nothing," added Sure Pop, "of the danger to barefooted boys and girls,
or to folks with thin shoes! Don't you see, Bob and Betty, how every one
of those good turns happens to be a good turn for Safety as well? I told
you a few days ago that all true Scouts are brothers; aren't we all
working toward the same end, after all?"
Bob and Betty saw the point. They turned their Safety buttons upside
down as Sure Pop waved them goodby, resolving to get them right side up
at the very first chance that offered.
They found their father on the front porch reading th
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