“Good fer you!” the captain exclaimed.  “That’s the kind of talk I like to hear.  And look here, you fellows,” he continued, turning to the rest of the scouts, “if ye want to remain in this troop ye’ve got to git a hustle on.  I’ve got letters in my pocket from several boys who want to join.  Some are willin’ to walk quite a distance, and if ye don’t want to obey orders, out ye go.  A troop can’t be run right, any more than a ship, unless orders are obeyed.  I’ll let yez off this time, but, remember, a week from to-day ye’ll report again, and then I’ll give my decision.  That’ll do now, so let’s go fer a sail.”

Every day Rod studied the price of berries in the newspaper, and cut out the list.  He also kept his account in his little note-book.  At the end of the first week he had made the following entries: 

“July 17th—­20 boxes at 7 cents . . . . $1.40
July 18th—­20 boxes at 8 cents . . . . 1.60
July 20th—­15 boxes at 7 cents . . . . 1.05
July 21st—­10 boxes at 9 cents . . . . .90
-----
“$4.95”

The next week he sent off several more boxes which amounted to three dollars according to his reckoning.  He knew that the freight would have to come out of this, which he believed would not be over one dollar at the most.  Thus he would have about seven dollars to spend upon his suit, billy-can, axe, haversack, knife, and several other things he saw in the scout list which had been sent from the store in the city where the supplies were kept.

Rod showed his account to Captain Josh, and the latter believed that the figures were about right, as he had each day found out from the farmers what they had received for their berries.  He was somewhat surprised that Peter McDuff had sent no regular statements to Rod.  He, accordingly, made careful inquiries from several people who knew McDuff, and what he learned gave him considerable uneasiness.

CHAPTER XV

IN THE CITY

Rod was now very anxious to buy his scout suit.  He thought of the money waiting for him in the city, and he spoke about it to Captain Josh.

“I want to examine all the boys in the tenderfoot tests,” the captain replied.  “The ones who are able to pass, and have earned the money for their suits will go with me to the city.  The rest will have to stay at home.”

The very next day the captain examined each scout separately.  Rod was the only one who was able to pass all the tests, and had earned the money.  The others felt somewhat sore because they could not ask their parents for the money, and thus go to the city with the captain.  Several, in fact, were quite sulky.