Pay up for "negligent" Boy Scout

The state of New Hampshire and a Massachusetts Eagle Scout who needed to be rescued from Mount Washington are negotiating the size of his fine.

Scott Mason of Halifax, Mass., spent three nights alone on the mountain after spraining his ankle and veering off marked trails.

Fish and Game officials praised him for using his Eagle Scout skills to stay alive, but criticized him for being unprepared for treacherous spring conditions.

The state fined him $25,000. It is believed to be the largest fine sought under a nine-year-old law allowing New Hampshire to recoup rescue costs. In Mason's case, that included the cost of a helicopter.

The bill was due Sunday, but Mason's lawyer and the attorney general's office expect negotiations to continue.