The Boy Scouts Through the Big Timber; Or, The Search for the Lost Tenderfoot

by Herbert Carter

"The Boy Scouts Through the Big Timber; Or, The Search for the Lost Tenderfoot" by Herbert Carter is a children's adventure novel written in the early 20th century. The story follows a group of young Boy Scouts, specifically focusing on their exciting camping trip in the Rocky Mountains and the challenges they face, including the search for the misplaced member of their group, Bumpus Hawtree. The narrative is imbued with themes of friendship, bravery, and the spirit of adventure as the boys navigate through the wilderness. At the start of the novel, the Silver Fox Patrol of Boy Scouts is gathered around their camp, dynamic personalities emerging as they interact and roll call is taken. The reader is introduced to the group’s leader, Thad Brewster, and his friends through playful banter and camaraderie. The peaceful atmosphere is abruptly disrupted when one of the boys, Davy Jones, falls into a river, prompting a thrilling rescue operation. As the scouts work together to save their friend, hints of greater adventures and looming dangers in the wilderness are laid out, foreshadowing the challenges they will face, including the potential scramble to find Bumpus who has wandered off.