Follow Me, Boys!

Lem Siddons, a saxophonist, arrives in Hickory with dreams of law school but chooses a different path. He takes a clerk job at Hughes's general store and uses a town meeting to pledge himself to the Boy Scouts. He volunteers to lead Troop 1, setting the stage for his transformation into a community pillar.

Over the following years, Lem emerges as a natural leader, guiding the troop and steering the boys toward maturity. He puts his own dream of becoming a lawyer aside to teach discipline and responsibility. The town's troublemaker, Edward 'Whitey' White Jr., stubbornly refuses to join, foreshadowing later conflicts.

During a date with Vida, Lem and Vida catch Whitey stealing from Hughes's store after hours. Whitey injures himself trying to flee, and Lem uses Scout techniques to bandage the ankle. This act of care leads Whitey to secretly steal the Boy Scout Handbook, a moment Lem tolerates because he sees his past self in the boy.

Lem invites Whitey's father, Edward Sr., to parents' night at the Troop 1 meeting spot by Hetty Seibert's lake property. Edward arrives drunk and shames Whitey, prompting him to quit the troop. That same night, Edward dies from alcohol poisoning, leaving Lem and Vida to consider adopting Whitey.

Years later, in 1944, Lem and his troop are inadvertently captured by U.S. Army troops conducting a war game near the lake. The captain demands proof of Lem's status as Scoutmaster, but Lem cannot demonstrate the required knot, the sheepshank, which he never learned.

Across the lake, Troop 1 fires a morning cannon that signals the Army attack. The scouts shelter in a staged base and, using improvised tactics, they capture a tank with squibs to simulate land mines, freeing Lem from military captivity and turning the moment into a demonstration of Scout ingenuity.

Back at the lake, Lem and the troop confront Ralph Hastings, who is suing Hetty Seibert for guardianship of the lake property. Although Lem never passed the bar, he is allowed to question Hetty under oath as an interested party. Hetty reveals the property's history and recognizes Ralph's financial scheme, resulting in a decision that favors keeping the land with the troop.

On September 1, 1945, Lem and Vida celebrate Hughes's birthday by listening to Truman's radio announcement of the war's end. Whitey, now a captain, returns to Hickory with his wife Nora, an army nurse, sharing the moment with the community.

In 1950, John Hughes passes away, leaving the store to Lem and Vida. Due to Lem's health, the Scout committee pressures him to retire as Scoutmaster after two decades of service, signaling the end of an era for Troop 1.

To honor Lem's long service, the town stages a surprise celebration on October 2, 1950. Hetty Seibert's property is dedicated as Camp Siddons, with current and former Troop 1 members in attendance, marking the community's lasting recognition of Lem's impact.