fact, were quite sulky.

"Yez needn't look like that," the captain told them. "Ye've got only
yerselves to blame that ye're not ready. Ye're like too many people
today who expect to get things without workin' for them. But this
troop is not run on sich lines. Some day ye'll come bang up aginst
another troop, and how'll ye feel if ye git licked. Why, when I asked
some of you boys to tie a clove-hitch ye handed me out a reef-knot,
which is nothin' more than a 'granny' knot, which any one could tie. I
want yez to do more than other people kin, or what's the use of havin'
a troop? So git away home now, fer we'll have no more fun until yez
git through with yer work."

Rod was delighted at the idea of going to the city with the captain.

"I'll look after the boy," the latter told Mr. and Mrs. Royal, "and
I'll see that he gits fair play, too. Ye'll certainly be proud of him
when he comes back wearin' his scout suit."

The Royals were most thankful at the change which had come over the
bluff old captain. It seemed almost incredible that such a
transformation should take place in him in such a short time. It was
the influence of their little boy, they were well aware, which had done
it, and they often talked about the way they had been criticised for
having taken the lad into their home and hearts. They thought, too, of
his mother, and the mystery concerning her instead of lessening,
deepened as the months rolled by. She never failed to send her weekly
letter, and the money each month. Rod's bank account was steadily
growing, for the Royals had not spent one cent of it, even though at
times they felt the need of some of it when the money due from the
parish was much in arrears.

They were greatly puzzled that Rod's mother did not come to see him.
In every letter she wrote of her longing for her boy, and how she hoped
to come some day. She had said the same thing for years until it had
become an old story now. To Rod his real mother was a visionary
person, who wrote to him every week and sent him money. But apart from
these things she was of little interest to him. His world was in
Hillcrest, and not far away in some big city.

The next day Captain Josh and his charge reached the city, when they
went at once to Peter McDuff's store. They were kept waiting for some
time, as the owner was not in. When he returned the captain stated the
object of their visit, and how the boy wished to get his money in order