4. A scout is friendly!"

Glen was glad to see Chick-chick coming forward with a cheerful grin on
his face. He stood between Glen and Apple and around the shoulders of
each he placed an arm, while he and Apple shouted aloud: "All friends!
All brothers!" And immediately every scout rose to his feet and together
they echoed: "Brothers all!"

But the first rain drops were spatting among the leaves and Scout Master
Newton raised his hand.

"We must abbreviate our ceremony," he announced. "The remaining bearers
will repeat their sections of the scout law after me as I read. The
twelve will then form an inner circle around us, and all other scouts
will make strong our defenses with an outer circle as we give this
candidate the scout oath."

In their order the remaining eight advanced with their salutations:

A scout is courteous.

A scout is kind.

A scout is obedient.

A scout is cheerful.

A scout is thrifty.

A scout is brave.

A scout is clean.

A scout is reverent.

They formed the inner circle and around them all the scouts arose and
joined hands to form the outer guard. The lightning became more vivid in
its flashes and the mutterings of thunder changed to rumbling and
roaring as they stood there. The big drops of rain began to thicken but
they paid no heed.

"The candidate will hold up his right hand, palm to the front, thumb
resting on the nail of the little finger, and the other three fingers
upright and together, which constitutes the scout sign."

Glen stood at attention with his hand raised as directed.

"The candidate will now repeat after me the scout oath."

"'On my honor I will do my best:

"'To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the scout law;

"'To help other people at all times;

"'To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally
straight.'

"Scout you are now admitted into our ranks as a tenderfoot, which is our
first step and one from which you may go on to acquire merit and honor.
We are brothers all. The skies may be heavy above us, the storms may
threaten, the thunder roar and the lightning flash but we extend to you
the cheer of scout fellowship and the welcome of scout comradeship. And
as you meet the inevitable storms of life we believe that your
remembrance of this law and oath will help you to weather them all
triumphantly."

The rain was beginning to fall in earnest now.

"Dismiss troop!" called the scout master; and the boys, a second befor