The Boy Scout Automobilists

In Short

When the Thirty-ninth Troop of Boy Scouts is invited to join the National Guard's state war games, Assistant Patrol Leader Jack Danby and his red-haired chum Pete Stubbs find themselves thrust onto the front lines of modern military simulation. Armed with a high-powered grey scout car, a dashboard map, and quick-thinking telegraphy skills, Jack navigates tense tactical engagements, deceptive enemy manoeuvres, and personal rivalries. Robert Maitland’s 1918 novel endures as an energetic time capsule of early twentieth-century American youth culture, capturing the contemporary fascination with early motoring, scoutcraft, and pre-World War I military preparedness.

The Story

The story opens with excitement brewing among the members of the Thirty-ninth Troop. Scout-Master Captain Durland, a West Point graduate and Spanish-American War veteran, secures permission for his boys to take time off from their working-class jobs to participate in the upcoming National Guard maneuvers. Assigned to the Red army in a mock campaign against the rival Blue force, the scouts are tasked with critical field support. Rather than standard camping, they enter full military service, trading heavy dunnage for light gear and rapidly moving to the state line at Bremerton before hostilities open at noon.

Jack Danby is given charge of the troop's premier asset: a self-starting grey automobile fitted with dashboard road maps and telegraph equipment. Accompanied by his loyal friends Pete Stubbs and Tom Binns, Jack takes the wheel to conduct high-speed scouting runs across enemy lines. When the Red brigade attempts a bold advance to capture the vital railroad hub at Hardport, Jack uses the car’s speed to navigate local backroads, evade Blue sentries at Mardean, and verify enemy troop positions. His swift reporting enables the Red force to secure the strategic river bridge and win the campaign's first major engagement.

As the war game intensifies, the Blue army launches a sneaky turning movement toward Newville to sever the Red forces' supply lines. Jack and Tom spot hidden enemy signalmen, disable the scout car’s ignition to secure it, and covertly replace a captured enemy relay to intercept crucial flag signals. Jack rushes the intelligence directly to Red army commander General Harkness, prompting immediate night marches that foil the Blue ambush. Later, while operating in darkness near Colonel Abbey’s cavalry, Jack taps directly into an enemy telegraph line, reading the sounder by ear to decode Blue command orders before carefully splicing the wire back together to conceal his interference.

Between tactical triumphs, Jack faces personal adversity from Broom, a shady local antagonist who attempts to sabotage and harass the scouts. Despite Broom’s underhanded tricks, Jack maintains strict scout discipline, refusing to settle grudges through petty violence while staying focused on his military duties. In the campaign's climax, Jack deduces that the Blue commander, General Bliss, plans a desperate, wide-encircling raid from Freeport to sever the eastern rail line at Fessenden Junction. Spotting an enemy biplane overhead, Jack drives through open fences into farmland, tracks down the covert enemy advance, and leads Blue pursuers into a cleverly staged trap. After a thrilling automobile chase, the trapped Blue officers surrender, praising Jack's daring driving. With their primary strategic thrust neutralized, the Blue army is thoroughly outmanoeuvred, prompting the military umpires to call off the invasion and declare a complete victory for the Red army and its indispensable Boy Scouts.

How It Unfolds

Called to active service Scout-Master Durland announces to the Thirty-ninth Troop that they have been selected to join the National Guard’s summer war games. After securing leaves of absence from local employers, the boys travel by special train to Guernsey, where Durland’s West Point background earns the troop military gear and high-level respect.

Crossing the line As the noon deadline for open hostilities approaches, Jack Danby drives the troop's grey scout car to the border town of Mardean alongside scout Tom Binns. Watching the clock down to the final second, Jack guns the engine, speeds past border watchers, and delivers early intelligence that allows the Red army to capture the critical railroad junction at Hardport.

Foiling the turning movement While scouting deserted country roads, Jack and Tom spot enemy signalmen watching them from a forested ridge. After tricking the onlookers by dropping out of the moving car, the boys infiltrate the Blue signaling chain, intercept orders for an ambush at Newville, and race back to brief General Harkness in time to alter Red troop movements.

Tapping the telegraph During a tense night operation behind enemy lines, Jack uses his knowledge of telegraphy to tap directly into a wire string, reading the sounder's clicks by ear to gather vital news for General Bean. He then meticulously splices the cut wire so regular communications can resume without alerting the enemy.

Outrunning the pursuit Facing a surprise raid by Blue cavalry officers led by Captain Beavers, Jack takes the wheel for a high-speed car chase down rural roads. He skillfully lures the pursuing automobile directly into an ambush set by Colonel Abbey’s cavalry, forcing the enemy officers to surrender and wining high praise for his motoring skill.

Unmasking the final raid Deducing that General Bliss intends to attack Fessenden Junction from the unexpected eastern direction near Freeport, Jack tracks a Blue biplane overhead and uncovers the enemy's hidden advance. His timely warning allows the Red army to surround the remaining invaders, bringing the sham war to a triumphant close.

The People

• Jack Danby: The Assistant Patrol Leader of the Crow Patrol and the primary driver of the scout car. Resourceful, level-headed, and self-taught in telegraphy, Jack wants to prove the practical value of scouting in modern warfare. His mechanical skill, tactical instincts, and cool temper under fire make him the Red army's most effective scout.
• Pete Stubbs: Jack’s red-haired chum and fellow First Class Scout. Enthusiastic, impulsive, and fiercely loyal, Pete wants nothing more than to jump directly into the action. Though prone to anger when confronting rivals or condescending adult officers, he provides steady support on dangerous scouting missions.
• Captain Durland: The Scout-Master of the Thirty-ninth Troop. A quiet West Point graduate and Spanish-American War veteran, he wants to instill practical discipline, camp sanitation, and military preparedness in his scouts. His professional background earns the immediate trust of National Guard generals.
• Tom Binns: A dependable scout who acts as Jack’s secondary driver and co-pilot in the scout car. Excitable during high-speed runs, Tom relies on Jack’s technical knowledge while offering vital assistance during flag-signaling and wire-tapping operations.
• Broom: A hostile local bully who harbors a grudge against Jack and the troop. Driven by cowardice and spite, he seeks to harass the scouts and sabotage their efforts whenever they are vulnerable, though his underhanded tactics are repeatedly outwitted.

In Its Own Voice

"A day's hard reading would have taught them enough to save hundreds of lives."

Scout-Master Durland reflects ruefully on his Spanish-American War service, explaining to a militia officer how proper camp sanitation and basic preparation matter far more than mere bravery on the battlefield.

"If the people on the farms take the game seriously, and enter into the spirit of it, they'll do all they can to harass us and bother us."

Jack Danby cautions young Tom Binns as they drive toward the state line, pointing out that realistic war games require scouts to mistrust local directions and evaluate raw field evidence for themselves.

"You've covered the Troop with glory, Jack, and we're all proud of you."

Captain Durland commends Jack Danby after the boy's daring motoring and telegraphy reconnaissance directly secure the Red army's final victory over the invading forces.

What It's Really About

At its core, the novel explores the intersection of youthful duty, technological innovation, and military preparedness on the eve of America's broader engagement in twentieth-century global conflicts. Written in 1918, the book makes a clear argument for the practical value of youth organizations like the Boy Scouts in training disciplined, self-reliant citizens. Beyond the excitement of automobile chases and mock skirmishes, the narrative emphasizes that modern conflicts are won through technical competence, clear communication, and sanitary discipline rather than reckless bravery alone. It raises questions about how young people can meaningfully contribute to national service, presenting modern mechanics and code-reading as essential tools for the civic-minded youth.

Why Read It Today

The Boy Scout Automobilists offers modern readers an entertaining, authentic glimpse into early twentieth-century popular juvenile fiction. It holds genuine historical charm, particularly in its enthusiastic depiction of nascent technologies—such as self-starting motorcars, field telegraphy, heliographs, and military biplanes—at a moment when they were reshaping American life.

The prose moves briskly with an optimistic, earnest rhythm, free of modern cynicism. Readers who enjoy vintage adventure tales, early motoring lore, or home-front military history will appreciate its straightforward storytelling and detailed focus on period mechanics.

While modern audiences may notice dated period attitudes, formal dialogue, and a simplified moral landscape where scout discipline always wins the day, these elements reflect the genuine cultural ideals of 1918. It remains a light, swift-moving read that captures the enthusiasm of an era when the automobile was the ultimate symbol of youth, speed, and adventure.