Don Strong, Patrol Leader

make a paste, and enough paper to stick o

es 1

es

es 1

ead out like a banne

. The Eagles were convinced that they were out of the race. Don and Andy Ford were trying to take some comfort from the fact that they h

eekly game on the village field Tim backed him up faultlessly; but on t

one minute and cold the next. He didn't worry so much over Tim's moods. By tomorrow, he refl

d with another worry. His pitching was undergoing violent assault. He was sure he had plenty of st

e game return

philosophically. "They seemed to hit

took his sweater from the

se of fussing over him? Probably by tomorrow, or Monday, whatever was biting him would have stopped, and he would come around to discuss the ifs of the c

nor Tuesday. Wednesday Don met him at th

u been keeping

pl

't been ar

d I'm not coming around. Nobody

assing moods. This was more like the bluster

e a boob

, if anything went wrong in the contest, everybody would say that Don Strong couldn't have made a mi

o d

.' I ought to have whanged him one in the eye.

a day or so. If this firebrand scout convinced himself

his wrong," D

" Tim mocked. His voice

e wrong, and don't you f

ight. Do you think I

wouldn't know

hat-that an e would be as simple to Don,

You can't fool me again. If you're goin

that there was no use

wanted tim

obbie had written. That night h

eice of his country." Funny there should be two b's instea

! I'll bet I kno

m had sent p, and he had called p, but p and b sound almost the

same, too," Don cried. "

agerly. Tim gave him a s

und alike," Do

to take me out of the Wolf

take six days to discover that b and p sounded almost the same? He qu

the Wolves had weakened. In the past he had never paid much attention to Mr. Wall, accepting him as a matter of c

some day." A queer little lump came up into Tim's throat and made him swallow hard. He

hide his feelings. He left the meeting as soon as it was over. And

o that he'd be blamed if the Morse s

d. "Why doesn't he wait u

lamed him for the

ht!" Andy

bsent and had been penalized two points. As a result, the Wolves had re

OL P

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x

143

d, after a time, "but I don't think he'

Andy cried. "We should w

lowly. "I'm patrol l

Andy nodded thoughtfull

ight. What are y

by next Friday h

He mingled with the other scouts, but

, and the Foxes lost a ha

OL P

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16

159

bie. "Only two p

Tim had the makings of one of the best scouts in the troop. The right kind of patrol leader, h

father would not do tonight; he wanted somebody who knew scouting. Wh

cheerily. "Let's reason this out. A month or so ago a frightened scou

Don rem

n. Do you think he'd do

, s

around, probably because he's tied up with fellows who

veral minutes. "No, s

r. "Then there's nothing lef

e with his mind at peace. He had given Tim his own head of late, and even Mr. Wall said th

next week pass and bring no change. For a rumor had gone through the troop that the reason Mr. Wall had announced no contest for this month was because he was going to uncover a surprise. Do

something to happen. Roll-call and inspection br

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17

175

was play for a few minutes. Mr.

al will start Friday. It will be a two-day test of your mettle. It will take place at Loneso

still-start

outing. For that reason, I have decided to award ten points to

oints! That gave every p

uld be tied with the Fo

afternoon at 3:30 o'clock. Each patrol will start from a different part of the woods. They will

themselves?" asked a

master answered, "unless t

d softly. Gosh! Thi

nd it, they will know that that is the last blaze, and that the treasure is near. Two things they must then do-search for the treas

ds the treasure, what the

m the woods and avoid capture. If it is captur

t's just like old-fash

in writing whether he will be allowed to make the trip if he is chosen. Wednesday night each patrol leader will announce the name of t

r," came

ghed and wav

at Lonesome Woods, a blazed trail, a buried treas

e Foxes. "Must we watch out for Eagles and

he Scoutmast

uncertainty made the game

t. If he could get in

aying little. His heart ached with an empty longing. Once he caught Don's eye, and flushed and turned away

ey should go into the woods together-He sighed, and shook his head, and thoug

ents, and Bobbie announced gloomily that his father woul

sked. "No?" He fell

e said defiantly. There was an awkward silence. Pre

strive heart and soul to bring victory to his patrol, or that he stake everything on making one boy the kind of scout he

nd nothing came of it. But suppose s

used, "I wonder w

esday came drearily

g for the chance. Mr. Wall was calling the gathering to order as he entered. He slid into a seat and stole a look around.

," said Mr. Wall, "to

ol leader chos

ox

xes picked the oldes

lve

ing. Perhaps he was making a mistake, but it seemed to him t

Lally," he s

dy Ford threw down the diary and gave h