“No sooner said than stung,” Hervey flung back at him.  “Well, I’ve got first aid, physical development, life saving, personal health, public health, cooking, camping, bird study——­”

“That’s a good one,” Tom said.

“You said it; and I’ve got pioneering, pathfinding, athletics, and then come the ten that I selected myself; angling, bugling, carpentry, conservation or whatever you call it, and cycling and firemanship and music hath charms, not, and seamanship and signaling.  And two-thirds of the stalking badge.  I bet you’ll say that’s a good one.”

“There’s one good one that you left out,” Tom said.  “I thought you’d think of it on account of that last one.”

“You mean stalking?”

“I mean another that has something to do with that?”

“Now you’ve got me guessing,” Hervey said.

“Well, how do you want me to help you?” Tom asked, thus stifling his companion’s inquisitiveness.

“Well,” said Hervey, ready, even eager to adapt himself to Tom’s mood, “all I’ve got to do is to track an animal for a half a mile or so——­”

“A quarter of a mile,” Tom said.

“And then I’m an Eagle Scout,” Hervey concluded.  “But if I want to be in on the hand-outs Saturday night, I’ve got to do it between now and Saturday, and that’s what has me worried.  I want to go home from here an Eagle Scout.  Gee, I don’t want all my work to go for nothing.”

“You want what you want when you want it, don’t you?” Tom said, smiling a little.

“It’s on account of my troop, too,” Hervey said.  “It isn’t just myself that I’m thinking about.  Jiminies, maybe I didn’t choose the best ones, you know more about the handbook than I do, that’s sure, and I suppose that one badge was just as easy as another to you.  Maybe you think I just chose easy ones, hey?”

“Well, what’s on your mind?” Tom said.

“Do you know where there are any wild animal tracks?” Hervey blurted out with amusing simplicity.  “I don’t mean just exactly where, but do you know a good place to hunt for any?  A couple of fellows told me you would know, because you know everything of that sort.  So I thought maybe you could give me a tip where to look.  I found a horseshoe last night so maybe I’ll be lucky.  All I want is to get started on a trail.”

“Sometimes there are different trails and they take you to the same place,” Tom said.

No doubt this was one of the sort of remarks that Tom was famous for making which had either no particular meaning or a meaning poorly expressed.

Hervey stared at him for a few seconds, then said, “I don’t care whether it’s easy or hard, if that’s what you mean.  Is it true that there are wild cats up in these mountains?”

“Some,” Tom said.

“Well, if you were in my place, where would you go to look for a trail?  I mean a real trail, not a cow or a horse or Chocolate Drop’s kitten. [Chocolate Drop was the negro cook at Temple Camp.] If I can just dig up the trail of a wild animal somewhere, right away quick, the Eagle award is mine—­ours.  See?  Can you give me a tip?”