Boy Scouts: Tenderfoot Squad

e to talk with you, and tell you how muc

p proudly, and waited. Elmer saw that while he was a very handsome little fellow, there was no trace of weakness about his face

appearance, hugging his cherished violin in its faded case close under his arm. Elmer would never forget the picture he had made as he sat there drawing al

e. Where did you learn how to handle the bow? Who taught you to make a violin talk, and t

he bow, and the rest I just picked

But then the same mother who had shown him how to grasp the bow must have taken pains to teach him other things that went with the education of a growing boy. His observation had done the rest; for just as Elmer himself

as curiously looking him over, and seemed to be visibly impressed

f suspicion suddenly s

or?" he asked sharply. "Are you

ery way that usually proved so cat

s is the regular uniform of the Boy Scouts. Have you ever heard of the sco

nk and engaging face Elmer had, he seemed to make up his mind

got better clothes than these at the cabin, you know-and while we were there I saw a boy dressed like you are. He had a drum, and was beating it ever

of the very same tree the stump of which the boy had utilized a

introduce myself. My name is Elmer Chenowith, and I live in the town of Hickory Ridge. Would you mind telling me

k the designated seat, and carefully placed

t which the boy shut his teeth har

s my father, too, if

iness, and I don't mean to meddle with anybody else's affairs. Now I want to be friends with you. I must hear about your gift of playing, because you ha

Elmer," the other

heart was wrapped up in his present calling as typified in the khaki, and he fairly fascinated his young auditor by relating how the scouts took upon themselves so many uplifting resolutions; how they learned new things every day by observing, and remembe

y to camp out and enjoy ourselves as scouts always do when they get the chance. Then it happens that the father of one of the boys has bought a big tract of land around Raccoon Bluff, and his son wanted to survey it over, not being satisfied with the original work

soul spoke to soul in that exchange of looks,

my father has been acting queer ever since he met you boys on the road. I don't know what

ame; can you te

eard him say this, for it came to him like a flash that possibly Jem Shock mi

om some other section of the country, and has only been in our town a few months. Tell me about your mo

as often told me how they would take him on their shoulders and march up the street shouting that he was the greatest player in all the wide world. And some day I mean to be his equal; I feel it in

een a Swedish violinist of international reputation. How it came that his daughter should ever mate with a ma

e had made the acquaintance of Conrad he was more determined than ever to meet t

o ask to accompany him to his cabin home, but he hesitated. Still he meant to pave t

e trees, if you look that way. And we'd be glad to have you and your mother, yes, and Jem Shock, too, visit us any

r saying what you did about my father. I know people all say he is a terribly bad man, that he gets drunk, and beats us; but it's a whole pack of lies, that's what it is. He never drin

ther, and some day I mean to drop in at your cabin and introduce myself. Yes, and tomorrow I'll be coming over here again as sure as anything, to listen to you play some more. Some day you will ge

r's hand eagerly as he said goodbye. The scout leader watched him going on through the aisles of th

to be the one to interest music-loving friends in the wonderful genius of the great Ov

note his surroundings, as a true woodsman always must, no matter what his mind may be occupied with. "And wouldn't it be a great thing, though, if we did manage to get that boy's

rn trip as he had when going out; but then that was not to be wondered at. He had reall

e of the morning. The fixing up of camp was such a pleasure to him that for the time being he

He did not happen to be much of a lover of music himself, and perha

f beans. You thought this little chap was some punkins just because you happened to hear him amidst peculiar surroundings. Now,

concert stage while he is as green as he is along the lines of musical culture. He will show what is in him to genuine critics, and then if they prove

aterial to choose from, and it was really a pleasure to make the selection. So presently savory odors began to arise in the vicinity, th

less progress along the lines of carrying out

mself down to rest, "to say that the job was pretty much of a bungle; but I'm beginning t

demanded George. "Could it be possible there was some crooked work back of the survey, and that they took a money bribe to falsify

o do what they should. They made a slash three-quarters of the way back in one place, we found, and then probably guessed the rest. It's going to turn out a bad piece of wo

meeting them on the road, he had kept repeating it to himself, and frowning as though furious. He wondered again whether that rich father of Rufus could at some time in the past have wronged the sa

All of them were greatly interested; but the scout-master, for reasons of his own, failed to mention that the man who w

his desire to help

ks in him. And my father thinks a lot of anybody who has musical talent. I know he took a heap of pleasure in helping to send one young lady to Europe to complete her voice cul

told him; "and if the opening comes I m

lping hand to the son. He also figured that Jem Shock would indignantly refuse to accept any aid from that source. But then the whole thing was wrapp

off again to take up the work where they had dropped it. George, too, had found some other things which he might as