When the Governor at last arose, he was greeted with great cheers.  All the people had crowded as close as possible, so as not to miss a word of the address of the prominent man who had come into their midst.  Near the platform stood Anna Royanna.  The speeches mattered very little to her, for it was Rod’s face she was watching.  She noted the eager interested look in his eyes, and his erect bearing as he stood at attention at the head of his patrol.  How few the Hillcrest scouts were compared with the others, and a slight smile lightened the woman’s face as she thought of the surprise which perhaps was in store for them.

The Governor at first complimented the scouts upon their neat smart appearance, and what an excellent thing the movement was.  He then referred to the prize which had been offered a year before, and that the time had at last arrived when it was to be awarded.  At these words the assembled troops stood straighter than ever, eager and intense to hear the name of the successful troop.

“I have the list before me,” the Governor continued, as he arranged his eye-glasses, “and I consider it a very creditable one indeed, showing most plainly how active the scouts have been.  The committee has gone most carefully over the reports received, and has examined the bank-books accompanying them.  I wish that I had time to read to you the many and ingenious ways in which the different troops have raised their money, and I sincerely wish that all could win the prize.  According to this list there is one troop which leads all the others, having earned the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars.  The account of how this was raised is splendid, and by the rules laid down, that troop has won the prize.”

Here the Governor paused, and a breathless stillness reigned as all waited to hear the name of the fortunate troop.

“I understand, however,” the speaker slowly continued, “that there is only one troop present which did not send in a report of its doings during the last year.  This, perhaps, seems strange to you, and I have good reason to ask the scout-master of that troop to step forward and give some explanation.  I would really do so if I did not have the full information myself, and before presenting the prize, I am going to tell you something about that troop.”

Then in a few words he told what the delinquent troop had done; how they had raised almost four hundred dollars, and how they had done it.  He next told about the sick girl, and that the scouts of this troop had freely given every cent of the money they had earned to send her to a specialist in New York.  There was a strong note of pathos in the Governor’s voice as he mentioned the sick girl and the act of loving sacrifice on the part of the troop.  He was a master of speech, and his words thrilled the hearts of his listeners.

“You now know,” he said in conclusion, “why that troop has made no report.  The prize was within their grasp.  They had to decide between it and the life of a sick girl.  They chose the nobler course, and so they are not the winners to-day.  I wanted you to know this before we go any further.  I shall now proceed to present the flag, and I ask troop number seven to step forward.”