“Oh! we’ll be in the contest all right, even if we are counted in the ‘also ran’ class.  These other fellows have been camping this summer, and must be up in many of the things that count.  But then, they haven’t got Paul Morrison at the head as scout leader, and that means everything in our favor,” declared Jack, warmly.

“Please cut that out after this.  It’s true that I’ve always been deeply interested in many things connected with life in the woods; but you see that’s only one part of a good scout’s credit marks.  In fact, there’s hardly one thing in all the trades and professions that is omitted from the list.  Only he must excel in all he undertakes.  And soon we will have to find a young man over twenty-one who will act as our scout master.”

“Hold up, there’s Bobolink hurrying to catch us; and he acts as if he might be the bearer of important news,” remarked Jack, who had heard a hail from the rear, and turned his head to see a flitting form.

The other came up, panting heavily.

“Say, you fellows must have the seven league boots, the way you get over ground.  And just after I’ve gone and made away with a monstrous supper, too,” he managed to say, between gasps.  “Let me get my breath, and I’ve got something to tell you.”

“Is it about Ted Slavin and his cronies?” asked Paul, suspiciously.

“Hit it the first shot,” returned Bobolink; “who told you?”

“Why, I haven’t heard a word; only I thought that if there was anything going on, Ted would be apt to have a finger in the pie,” returned the other, grimly.

“Well, he has, all right, as usual.  Anyhow his mouthpiece, Ward Kenwood, has, and it’s the same thing.  I was taking something in to the dominie at our church (my mother is at the head of a committee, you know) when he asked me if I was going to join the new Boy Scout patrol that was being organized in Stanhope.”

“Whew, but those fellows don’t believe in letting the grass grow under their feet, do they?  Never thought a thing about it till they heard us talking matters over; and here they’re getting all the credit for being first in the field,” and Jack shrugged his shoulders ruefully as he spoke.

“Didn’t I say we’d have to get up early in the morning if we hoped to keep from taking their dust?  No matter what else you can say about them, Ted and his crowd are alive, and wide-awake fellows all the time,” returned Paul.

“Well, the minister was some surprised when I told him all about it.  He said he was delighted, and I guess he meant it too.  The more patrols the better for the community, he said.  And he seemed to know all about the meaning of the thing, for he showed me several books along the subject, that he promised to lend us.”

“Bully for him!” cried Jack, with perhaps more energy than reverence; but had the genial old man heard the words he would have felt highly complimented, knowing that whoever succeeds in getting the approval of live, wide-awake boys must consider himself fortunate indeed.