“Sit down, gentlemen,” the captain ordered, “while I make tea.”

“This is great!” the Governor exclaimed, as he seated himself upon the ground, and leaned back against the bole of the tree.

“It certainly is,” the Judge assented.  “It reminds me of my boyhood days.  This is good of you,” and he turned to the captain, “to take all this trouble for us.”

“It’s only a pleasure, I assure yez,” the captain returned.  “Much nicer than the steamer, eh?  Fall to, now.  Ye’ll find them trout rather good.  Caught them myself in the brook.  Betsey’ll be right pleased if ye’ll try her biscuit and pie.  She was afraid they wouldn’t be good.  Have some tea, sir?” and he held the tea-pot over the Governor’s cup.  “Not too strong, eh?  That’s good.  Ye’ll find cream and sugar right there.  Help yerselves, now, and don’t be backward.”

“Well, that’s the best meal I’ve had in a long time,” the Senator remarked, as he finished, and drew forth his cigar case and passed it around.  “You didn’t do all this yourself, did you, captain?”

“Should say not,” was the reply.  “Betsey, that’s my woman, did the cookin’, but Miss Royanna helped me fix things up here.  It was her idea, not mine.”

“Miss Royanna, did you say?” the Governor queried.  “It seems to me I’ve heard that name before.”

“Sure ye have.  She’s the great singer.  Anna Royanna, she’s generally called.  She’s livin’ with us fer awhile.  Greatest woman out.”

“Strange,” the Governor mused.  Then he shot a swift glance toward the secretary, but that young man was staring hard at the captain.

“There is certainly some tone to all this,” and the Judge gave a hearty laugh.  “We little expected to have our dinner served by such a noted person, and to be waited upon by a worthy sea-captain, did we, sir?” and he turned toward the Governor.

But the latter had risen to his feet, as if suddenly aroused by some pressing engagement.

“Come,” he ordered, “let’s get back.  It’s time for the Review to begin.  The scouts will be getting impatient.”

It took them but a few minutes to return to the grand-stand where Parson Dan was waiting to receive them.  He and the Governor were old friends, and hearty was the greeting between the two.  Then the call was sounded, summoning the scouts.  Soon they were lined up according to troops before the stand, where the officials were already seated, with the clergyman by their side.  They invited Captain Josh to a seat on the platform, but he refused, saying that he preferred to remain with his boys.

After the band had played a couple of inspiring national airs, the speeches began.  They were not long, but full of interest, dealing with the scout movement.  The Senator spoke first, and was followed by the Judge.  Parson Dan was asked to say a few words, but he declined, saying that the boys wanted to hear the Governor, and not a prosy old parson.