The Boy Scouts for Uncle Sam

In Short

Published in 1912, this patriotic adventure novel follows Rob Blake and the Eagle Patrol as they join Ensign Hargreaves and inventor Danbury Barr to test a revolutionary submarine called the Peacemaker. Stationed on remote Barren Island, the Scouts face international spies, arson, high-sea peril, and an insane crewman trying to sabotage the vessel. The book survives as an energetic period artifact, capturing early twentieth-century American technological optimism, youth resourcefulness, and the thrilling appeal of early submarine fiction.

The Story

The story opens with Rob Blake, leader of the Eagle Patrol, returning home before being recruited alongside his fellow Boy Scouts for a confidential government project. Naval officer Ensign Hargreaves seeks their help to safeguard the Peacemaker, an advanced submarine invented by the fiercely patriotic Danbury Barr. Foreign powers are desperate to steal the design, sending spies to intercept it. To keep the tests secret, the team voyages south aboard the Seneca, a U.S. Navy derelict destroyer heading toward remote Barren Island.

En route, the crew encounters an abandoned, ice-trapped nineteenth-century whaler named the Good Hope. Investigating the derelict, the Scouts discover its preserved logbook and historical records, but a dense fog and an accidental fire trap them on the doomed ship. Just as flames ignite dynamite stored in the hold, a rescue boat manned by a rival "Wolf" Patrol arrives, allowing them to escape seconds before the whaler explodes.

Reaching Barren Island, the group sets up camp and begins rigorous deep-sea testing of the slate-colored Peacemaker. The submarine proves astonishingly fast, reaching over thirty knots, but danger lurks within their own ranks. Barton, a sullen machinist hired for the tests, secretly conspires with foreign agents led by a villain named Berghoff. While Rob and his scoutmate Merritt explore nearby islands, they spot suspicious signaling and discover Barton's betrayal. Rob attempts to thwart the conspirators alone, but he is captured, searched, and stowed away on the enemy's craft before eventually reuniting with his allies.

As the secret trials continue, Barton succumbs to violent madness. Trapped inside the submerged submarine, he steals the essential ascending lever, locking himself in the engine room and threatening to sink the crew to the ocean floor. Ensign Hargreaves bravely breaches the door under gunfire, subduing the lunatic and saving the vessel. Later, while testing the craft during a furious storm, the Peacemaker becomes pinned under an underwater cliff. Using the ship's torpedoes, Barr and Hargreaves blast away the rock face, allowing the submarine to surface safely. Having survived arson, kidnapping, insane crewmates, and mechanical entrapment, the Scouts successfully prove the vessel's worth, securing the technology for the United States Navy while thwarting Berghoff's final explosive schemes.

How It Unfolds

The patrol takes the assignment Rob Blake and his fellow Scouts assemble to hear Ensign Hargreaves outline a secret mission to guard a revolutionary submarine design. After securing parental consent, they prepare to voyage to a secluded testing ground on Barren Island aboard a naval vessel.

Trapped on the burning derelict While exploring the historic ocean derelict Good Hope, the Scouts are enveloped by heavy fog and stranded without food. When an accidental fire reaches the ship's powder reserve, a timely rescue by a scout boat saves them just as dynamite obliterates the whaler.

Testing the secret submarine Arriving at Barren Island, the Scouts join inventor Danbury Barr for trials of the Peacemaker, a submarine capable of astonishing speeds. The boys inspect the high-tech engine rooms and marvel at the craft's underwater maneuvers.

Discovering the enemy within Rob and Merritt spot red flag signals sent across the water and confront Barton, a sullen machinist working on the island. Rob discovers Barton is selling blue-prints to foreign spies led by Berghoff, resulting in Rob's sudden capture and search by the villains.

A lunatic at the controls Barton loses his sanity, steals the submarine's ascending lever while submerged, and barricades himself in the engine room. Facing asphyxiation at the bottom of the sea, Ensign Hargreaves risks his life by storming the barricade under revolver fire.

The final underwater trial During a violent gale, the Peacemaker is trapped deep beneath the surface by a falling ocean cliff. By firing torpedoes to clear the obstruction, the crew successfully frees the vessel, proving its durability and securing the submarine for Uncle Sam.

The People

• Rob Blake is the wiry, confident leader of the Eagle Patrol. He wants to protect his country's military secrets and keep his fellow Scouts safe, stepping into dangerous situations without hesitation. He overcomes physical capture by spies and emerges as a trusted asset to the Navy officers.
• Ensign Hargreaves is the steady naval officer directing the testing of the Peacemaker. He wants to deliver the submarine safely to the U.S. government while keeping foreign agents in the dark. He faces armed lunacy and severe mechanical crises with unwavering cool-headed leadership.
• Danbury Barr is the passionate American inventor of the Peacemaker. He wants his high-speed diving boat to serve Uncle Sam rather than foreign bidders who offer him fortunes. He endures heart-stopping sub-sea mechanical failures and ultimate relief when his life's work proves successful.
• Barton is a machinist hired to assist with the submarine engines. Secretly motivated by greed, he sells trade secrets to enemy agents, but the mounting pressure drives him into violent paranoia, ending with him barricaded in the engine room trying to sink the crew.
• Tubby is an easygoing, food-focused Scout whose primary concern is the state of the camp provisions. Despite his complaints during hardships, he remains a loyal companion throughout the ordeal.

In Its Own Voice

"If anyone is to have the Peacemaker it is to be Uncle Sam, first, foremost and all the time."

Ensign Hargreaves explains the intense international interest in Danbury Barr's revolutionary invention and why absolute secrecy is required.

"Whatever are we going to do?" gasped Rob, a note of real alarm in his voice for the first time.

Rob realizes the severity of their plight while stranded aboard the fog-bound derelict whaler without edible rations.

"We'll all die together in the depths of the sea, where dead men's bones rot and the fish eat their eyes out."

The driven-mad machinist Barton screams through the engine room door after stealing the lever that allows the submerged submarine to rise.

What It's Really About

Beneath its buoyant adventure plot, the novel explores the early twentieth-century fascination with naval technology, national security, and modern patriotism. Written on the cusp of major global conflicts, it reflects American anxieties over foreign espionage and the race for technological dominance on the high seas. The story frames youth civic organizations like the Boy Scouts as vital training grounds for citizenship, self-reliance, and martial preparedness. It argues that character, obedience to authority, and calm problem-solving under pressure are just as essential to national defense as technological innovation, showing young citizens taking an active, dutiful role in protecting their homeland's future.

Why Read It Today

This novel offers modern readers an entertaining window into early 1910s popular juvenile fiction and the cultural mindset of pre-WWI America. Fans of classic adventure stories, maritime lore, and early science-fiction technology will enjoy the fast pace, dramatic cliffhangers, and nostalgic technical enthusiasm surrounding early submarine design. The narrative moves rapidly from one life-threatening disaster to the next—ranging from explosive shipwrecks to underwater entombment.

Readers should expect period-typical elements that reflect its time, including straightforward melodrama, idealized depictions of youth organizations, and exaggerated, heavily accented foreign villains like the spy Berghoff. The dialogue can feel deliberately instructional, and the plot relies heavily on fortunate coincidences. Nevertheless, its earnest charm, crisp action sequences, and historical perspective make it a rewarding, breezy read for anyone curious about vintage American series books.