“We just know there was something remarkable happened to you up there,” spoke up Don Miller, the leader of the Fox Patrol, “but no matter what we hinted, never a word could we get any of you to explain about it.  What’s it all mean, Hugh?”

“Wait and see,” was the mysterious answer that again baffled the curiosity of the eager listeners, some of whom had really begun to hope that Hugh might think it time to remove the seal of absolute secrecy with which the outing had been enveloped so long.  “And Alec, suppose you tell us what your aunt said in her letter.  You don’t look as if it held good news, that’s certain.”

Alec laughed good-naturedly.

“Oh! she complimented me like everything because of those grand pictures I sent her, and said that the account I gave of the thrilling happenings up there made her satisfied with the little investment she had incurred.  I was welcome to the camera, and she also meant to send me another present soon, because she found herself quite interested in scout work.  But she couldn’t think of putting the deal through for that—–­er—–­place.  She says after what happened there, it’s likely to be a shrine for curious-minded folks for a long time to come, and as she wants absolute quiet, that would not suit her.  So you see, just as I expected, that deal’s off.”

All this strange manner of talk greatly aroused the listeners curiosity.  They tried in turn to coax Hugh, Billy, Alec, Arthur or Monkey Stallings to “open up and tell us what it all means, won’t you like a good fellow?” but those worthies only looked wise, nodded their heads, and told them to “hold their horses,” and in good time they would be treated to a little surprise that would pay them for all their waiting.

The hall soon filled up, with seating space at a premium.  It was in a good cause and backed by the Women’s League for Town Improvement.  The orphans needed a good many things to make them comfortable for the winter, and this was to be one of several methods employed to obtain these articles, which the town did not see fit to supply.

Walter Osborne, Bud Morgan and several of the other scouts had been silently watching Hugh and his immediate chums.  Their attention was especially directed toward Billy Worth, who seemed to be so nervous that he could hardly keep his seat.

“It’s my opinion,” remarked Walter, sagely, “that there’s going to be something of a surprise sprung on the rest of us to-night.  I’ve been keeping tabs on Billy, and to see him grin, and look so happy and proud gives the thing away.  He just can’t keep his face straight, he feels so important.”

“But what can it be?” asked Jack Durham.  “The whole entertainment to-night is made up of Professor Wakefield with his violin, and three selected moving pictures.”

“Yes,” added Bud Morgan, referring to a paper he held in his hand, “and one of these is a comic, a second a trip through the island of Ceylon, showing things just as if a fellow was there on the spot, while the third and last seems to be a series of pictures showing just how a company of players go about when engaged in making one of their wonderful films.”