Don Strong, Patrol Leader

were sitting on the por

op step and fanned h

ected?" Bar

id Don;

t. "Isn't that fine! We must cele

el like celebrating. He told about havin

t her father. "Was it wrong

. "A candidate always votes f

erry cake. While he ate he told himself that there was no sense in worrying a

really be a test of skill. With the exception of Bobbie Brown and Wally Woods, every member of the Wolves was a first-cla

n told himself. "I'll call a patrol meetin

p to the gate

hoping you'd show up. Tak

to the palings of the fe

'll be a patrol meeting a

the next five minutes. Don smiled, and then grew thoughtful. Wou

field that afternoon. On

a

ter smiled, "how's t

right

're going

s,

oney. There are lots of things you could do when you were a scout that you cannot do now. Not that

t I could skylark and cut up a bit, but that now I must be out in front se

ouraged when your plans go wrong. Get your grip and

sm

y, fellows like you and me. And just because we're not angels, we somet

ir?" sa

eed scouting most," M

m a warning. But though he puzzled his head and won

e the scouts up to his room out of the way. Barbara told him indignantly that he would

ol. Don wanted to help, but she routed him from the place. He went out to the porch

gate. Soon he was followed by Alex Davidson and Andy Ford. Th

e?" Don cal

Woods," came

he meeting had been called for eight o'clock, and it wa

day in business. He told of how many orders he had delivered, and how much money he had collected, and how care

ast eight,

starting?

oft glow over the table. Chairs were drawn up, and at eac

ra thought of t

ick smile to Don's face. Now, however, he sat down soberly

Leader

," sa

ader Ford. No doubt

t Dav

" said

t Rit

er

ut L

le

table. Alex forgot his business adventures of

ome later,

Bobbie. "Did

ie n

did he

othi

hat Tim had said something

forgot," An

e forced a smile and said that Tim might come bolting in at the last minute. The moment the roll call was complete

part. Attend every meeting and come ready for inspection. When Mr. Wall gives us a job to do as a patrol, let us

asy," said Ritter. "We

n. "But can we do it?

icycle," Ritter argue

be cocksure-he wanted it to work. But there would be small chance of

He ran up to his room and came down with a

a spiral reverse b

's arm. Presently, after having gone half way to

id. "I see your poin

ednesday afternoon at troop headquarters. Don would work with Ritter on splints, and Tim and Andy and Bobbie would form a team for artificial respiration,

As the meeting broke up and the scouts crowd

k with Tim?

plained. "You can be handled easily on

something more. Abruptly, though, he turned

r asked. "Shall I tell

ed. The feeling of

eld tomorrow," said Don

he look said as plainly as words,

ance. Then he went up to his room and stared out of the window. Thunder! Wh

ng wrong when a patrol leader and his scouts live at loggerheads. He did not want to start wrong, he did no

im and what Tim would say to him. At last, with an impat

pie," he muttered. "H

what the patrol meeting had decided, nodded shortly when told of Wedne

ut had spoken his mind. As things stood now he did not know what

ask him point blank what he intended to do. Twice he paused and tur

to reach troop headquarters. In

OL P

gl

x

lf

re honor of getting a prize-he didn't mean that. But the honor of being the best

e at the door.

ith Tim?" Andy

ook hi

l him? What

thi

yway? Is he going to grouch just because he wasn't elec

e sound of a

Don said

we the only fellows here?" he demanded. "I wan

red around the room. He banged his mitt against the scout staves in the racks and

tick in the lea

"What other patrol

on. "If we practice onc

ed. "Gee! Have a heart.

said quickly, "and we're depen

stuff?"

's lift, artificial resp

i

to have soothed Tim's feeling

to handle this hot-tempered scout-humor him a bit, p

bbie and Ritt

work started. Don took splints and bandages from the troop's medic

n," said Tim

soon as the first co

ep out of the

d to be going on satisfactorily. He brought hi

and Andy and Bobbie were making out. Twice he thought that An

toward the finish.

ow a little on artificial resp

ignaling to him? Had somethi

ndages were put away. Tim mopped his face and breathed he

her session Fri

game. Ted Carter wants everybody out for prac

Don wasn't interested

nd

all right. Tim put on his co

ting your mitt

g to the fiel

id it. Don looked inquiringly at Andy. The as

ong, Bobbie?

his head. "Guess I'll go along," he said

red at the woodwork as though examining it, scratched wit

and over again? Suddenly he understood. Andy was sending him a message in Morse, and t

.

hisper

-

M

.

Co

an the other. The

... ..

muttered. He strol

ut of troop headquarte

roughing Bobbie

m?" Don ask

twisting his ears, and things like that. Bobbie's

lbow. He walked back into troop headquarters with his head bent. If one scout was going to nag another there would be no harmony, no p

in to cut it out, there might be a ruction. If he allowed the nagging to go on, there would be t

w where Bobbie stood.

e road-that fellow lean

odded ne

what was happening. Tim was wa

ll go," said

on. "I'm going

n't let Bobbie go out and get his hair pulled and hi

face as they came out of troop hea

Bobbie's steps unconsciously became slower. He edged ou

"don't try to dodge pa

Tim,"

pected that Don was acting as guardian. For a moment he seemed to b

id Don. He wanted to shif

Tim answered scowlingl

patrol leader in his

and he knew that Tim resented it. After all, what had he gained? He couldn't be with Bob

seeing him coming, set his feet farther apart.

id; "what's the use of

we all pul

ything to yo

the use of tor

he keeper of th

talk wasn't going at

r," he said, "or we won't

aid airily. "I'll do my share. Di

es

t more do

in. He walked back to the fenc

ll be edging away from you, not knowing what moment you'll twig him, and it wil

demanded, "asking me to le

you," Don

ht." Tim's grin grew broa

what it meant. Tim thought he had started back to lay

o use in trying to disguise the truth. Deep in