“What’s the matter with you, Miss Arabella?"’ Rod asked in surprise.  “I didn’t know you were sick.  I have been so busy with the scouts that I haven’t had time for anything else.”

“Who are the scouts?” the invalid questioned.  There was evidently something taking place in the parish of which she had heard nothing, and her curiosity was aroused.

Then Rod told her about the troop which had been formed, the club-room, and the wonderful girl, to all of which Miss Arabella listened with much interest.

“And do you mean to tell me that cranky old Captain Josh is looking after the scouts?” she demanded.

“Sure.  He’s great,” was the reply.

“Well, I declare!” and Miss Arabella leaned back against the pillow as if exhausted by the idea.

“I wish you could see Whyn,” and Rod gave a little sigh.  “She’d do you a whole lot of good.”

“Do me good!  In what way, I’d like to know?  I guess it would take more than her to make me better.”

“But she is so jolly,” Rod explained.  “Her eyes are laughing all the time, and she is never cross.”

“Humph!” and the invalid gave her head a toss.  “If she had to put up with what I have to she would not feel that way.”

“Oh, but she does, Miss Arabella.  She has pains all the time, and she can’t walk a step.  She hasn’t walked for a long time.”

“She hasn’t!  Well, how can she laugh and not be cross?”

“I don’t know for sure.  But I guess she is trying to be a scout.”

“What has that to do with it?”

“Quite a bit.  You see, a scout has to smile and whistle no matter what happens.  If he jams his finger or stubs his toe, he must smile and go on whistling just as if nothing had happened.  It’s hard at first, but after you learn how to do it you feel good all the time.”

“And so you think I should do the same, eh?” and the woman fixed her eyes upon the boy’s face.

“Not exactly, Miss Arabella,” and Rod gave a little chuckle.  “You might smile more than you do, but I don’t think you could whistle.  But maybe you can.  Did you ever try?”

“No, I never did,” was the snapping reply, “and I detest girls and women who can.”

“But Whyn whistles,” Rod explained, “and I’m sure you’d like her if you saw her.  You ought to see her, Miss Arabella.  I believe she’d make you better.  And, besides, you’d do a good turn if you went to the Anchorage.  Whyn doesn’t see many women and she’d be so pleased to see you.”

“What do you mean by a ’good turn’?” the invalid asked.  “Is it something else the scouts have to do?”

“Sure.  You see, a scout is supposed to do a good turn each day.  That is, he must try to help somebody or something.  When I put that key down your neck, Miss Arabella, it was only my good turn which I was doing.  Captain Josh said it was the best thing to do to stop nose bleeding.  Now, if you’d go to see Whyn that would be your good turn, see?”