(Untitled)

[semyaza]

The Scouts in this story, though fettered for a while by a period of bondage, are just the jolly, good-natured, determined boys who are typical of a country Troop struggling for existence...what a stirring series of adventures they all had before they came triumphantly and with honour out of their bondage to a state of strength and proprietorship!

Comments

[lenine2]

Wow. Compelling read. And look at the wholesome activities down at the pond. Did Geoffrey write any other books?

[semyaza]

I believe he wrote something called Trawler Boy Dick. There's also Simple boat-building, Sea Rangers at Sloo, The Secret of the Sands and The Scouts of Windhaven. If I understand correctly, he had various pseudonyms including Leopold Spero and Dale Spicer. Scouts in Bondage has become rather notorious.

[elderberrywine]

what a stirring series of adventures they all had before they came triumphantly and with honour out of their bondage to a state of strength and proprietorship!

*snerk* Oh, tell me more! I'm all aflutter!

[semyaza]

I'm afraid I can't tell you much because I don't own it, although I found this plot description:

"The story is actually tame enough. A professor (who 'wore an old quilted black-satin dinner-jacket and a skullcap with a tassel on it', just like my professorial colleagues) engages the Scouts to help dig up remains of a ruined chapel, seeking blocks of masonry with inscriptions. Assembled together these reveal the location of a secret treasure, actually a document which restores the rightful owners to the local mansion. Along the way, various lower-class 'wasters', 'hooligans' and even 'hobble-di-hoys' attempt to thwart them. Punches are thrown, rivers forged, cars crashed, tables full of pies demolished - and all is well in the end. It is an enchanting period piece. The text is punctuated with cries of 'Crumbs!', 'By Jingo!', Right-o!' and 'Well, I'm blest!'"

The original red cover, seen here, lacks the fellow diving into the water.

[rabidsamfan]

Wow... just... wow...

[semyaza]

They're just jolly, determined boys -- like the ones in all those edgy HP fics. Does the Wizarding World have Scouts? ;~)