Tom Slade

un

e linen

re in the

re in the coffee-pot; now put the coffee-put in the kettle and the

ut the corner

efore the Ravens have started to pack.

l, and the standing of the duffel-bag in the co

taire break up," said Tom. "We'

'solitaire' to it late

ning," said Roy. "What are we g

won't be ready," s

t like them," ob

to wait for th

akeley came running

me to tell you that if the Ravens aren't at the station not to wait for them but

laughed Roy. "Can you

he Turtles!"

ed if they didn't show

week,"

n hand for the three-

t without them,

ear guard, all

buying fishing-ta

atrol," comment

p Patrol," sa

Turtles," v

--you see," said Roy. "Somebody ought to set a fire-

nda, Connover was wont to loll away the idle summer hours in cushioned ease, reading books about boys who dwelt in the heavens above and in the earth beneath and in the waters under the earth. They went down in s

ard against these perils with a tennis racquet and a bottle of cod liver oil and a backgammon board and an automatic piano. And so b

es and "No Trespassing" signs, of which latter he had the finest collection of any man in the state. The latest edition of these did not say "No Trespassing" at al

t Bridgeboro Troop was monarch of all it surveyed from the day school closed until almost the day it opened; and h

the boys insisted upon calling it) there was the Ravens' tent pitched under the trees, and the Ravens' flag flying, and the Ravens' f

y invited to dine with the Rap

IT

this affair. But whatever he knew, it was evident that the whole plan was known in another quarter, for the very next da

SMA

cause of my 'scout smile.' Do you s

TH

frame for it, and hung it up in the Ravens' tent, where it remained ostentat

and throw stones, the camp routine, the patrol rivalries and reprisals, the hikes, the stu

other ways. This was largely in the interest of the signalling, about which he had come to be a perfect fiend. It sent him to the dictiona

ing it, if the sense of smell were good, why, that was a knock-out blow for cigarettes

king, which he was forever practicing and which he now looked to as the

ignalling, he had but one rival and that was Roy; and he could jog along at scout pace with anyone except Pee-wee. He was prepared to chop his way into the Second Cl

t. These were the tracking and the financial business. He felt that if he could do a good tracking stu

t by day and dreamed of it by night, and he wrestled with a dogged persistence

er was starting out from camp on one of his "auto confabs," as the boys called his strolls,

said he cheerily. "Got so

if I do an' make it a good one, I was wondering if--I s'pose--would

fair,

pass for T

so; we all have our

le shaky on

n get away with

only one thing to prevent--that

What's

bout th

S

s Mr. Schmitt gave me for the extra

you got

g cord. I made a bow line knot. It's i

l and he had alw

want to break it. One day I was going to ask Roy to give me five one

what I do, Tom," said

you it was

N

l, '

nock the Commissioner off his feet, I guess it'll land you in the Second Class. One thing has to make up for another, you know. I've got to stand guard because if I didn't you fellows would be all w

ut of the bank would

ld be a dif

d it be a

o leaves of absence to-night on account of camp-fire yarns, and to post a notice. Tell him to make duplicate prin

hat the "Be Prepared" scroll was pinned upon him and that he was a Sil

bungalow and he blew into the porch lik

d to the youth in the hammock. "Ho

touch of rheumati

t to have rheumatism? I thought John Temple had a co

n the arm," s

ay I lift these books

n. Just push the

brary, eh? What are

and cordiality was nothing less than contagious. He fell immediat

the Boy

ing through one of the volumes amusedl

ant of the Eu

attleship from his name. And wh

nover, "is the Eureka Patrol in the

! Does h

aptain of

t sq

ptain is taken prison

many of these book

ven--all o

n't he? How would you lik

ldn't let me h

ave muskets

ed the scoutmaster cordially. She could never

o, Mrs.

and added smilingly, "I hope you are no

ness the murder of two innocent South S

ett failed to

t if it must be'scouts' and 'wild west' it

can have Dan What's-his-name up here, if you want t

boy," said Mrs. Be

. Why, Mrs. Bennett," added the scoutmaster

e wh

real scouting than it has with a Sunday School picnic. I tell you what, Mrs. Bennett, I just came up out of the woods, and I tell you it's

erything for Connover-

outs-the real scouts. That's what I wanted to see you about. I'm

s,

t Connie i

ad about them, but there it must end. We have always done everything for Conno

urder wholesome p

's welfare and happiness, but I am not willing that he should dress up like Mrs. Blakeley's b

to walk and the boys im

draughts outdoor

ir. Oh, it's quite

e O'Connor boys would

s. I have done everything for Connover--everything, and

was puzzled at the reasoning of the fond mother who thought that D