The Boy Scouts of Woodcraft Camp

Thornton W. Burgess's The Boy Scouts of Woodcraft Camp opens as a spirited adventure rooted in Boy Scout ideals, wilderness know-how, and the making of character. Fourteen-year-old Walter Upton arrives alone in the northern woods full of excitement and doubt, only to be swept into a world where sunrise over the Adirondacks, rough logging towns, and the stern wisdom of guides quickly test his romantic notions of nature. Big Jim Everly, a seasoned woodsman, dismisses book learning in favor of real woodcraft, while the grim Red Pete and the hard edge of the sawmill country remind Walter that the wilderness is no playground. At Woodcraft Camp, Walter finds a lively training ground disguised as adventure, where Dr. Merriam shapes boys into self-reliant, capable young men through skill, discipline, and fellowship. Walter's courage soon shows when he defends a crippled boy from a bully, and later his fishing success wins honor for his tribe while exposing the bitterness of pride in boys like Harrison. Along the way, he forges friendships with practical, adventurous companions such as Bob Seaforth, Louis Woodhull, and Pat Malone, learning boxing, fair play, and the square deal as part of the larger lesson of the woods. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.