As all the boy scouts know;
And the best little place is home, sweet home--
When there isn't any other place to go, go, go.
When there isn't any other place to go.

Mr. Denny, standing in the doorway of the cabin, contemplated him with a
repressed smile. "Hervey," he could not help saying, "since you think so
well of the camp-fire, I wonder you don't choose to see more of it."

"I can see it from all the way across the lake," said Hervey. "I can see
it no matter where I go."

"I see. It must arouse fond thoughts. I'm afraid, Hervey, to quote your
own song, there isn't any other place for you to go but home, sweet
home. You seem to have exhausted all the places. Sit down, Hervey, you
and I have got to have a little talk."

Hervey leaned against the cabin, Mr. Denny sat upon the door sill. None
of the troop was about; it was very quiet. For half a minute or so Mr.
Denny did not speak, only whittled a stick.

"I sometimes wonder why you joined the scouts, Hervey," he said. "Your
disposition----"

"A fellow that sat next to me in school dared me to," said Hervey.

"Oh, it was a sort of a wager?"

"I wouldn't take a dare from anybody."

"And so you joined as a stunt?"

"I heard that scouts jumped off cliffs and all like that."

"I see. Well, now, Hervey, I've written to your father that I'm sending
you home."

Hervey began making rings in the soil with his stick but said nothing.
Mr. Denny's last words were perhaps a little more than he expected, but
he gave no other hint of his feelings.

And so for another minute or so there was silence, except for the
distant voices of some scouts out upon the lake.

"It is not exactly as a punishment, Hervey; it is just that I can't
take the responsibility, that's all. You see?"

"Y---- yes, sir."

"I thought you would. Your father thought the influence of camp would be
good, but you see you are seldom at camp. We can't help you because we
can't find you."

"You can't cook a fish till you catch it," said Hervey.

"That's just it, Hervey."

"If you don't want to leave any tracks the best thing is to swing into
trees every now and then," Hervey informed him.

"Ah, I see. Now, Hervey, my boy, I'm anxious that you and I should
understand each other. You have done nothing disgraceful and I don't
think you ever will----"

"I landed plunk on my head once."

"Well, that was more of a misfortune than a disgrace."

"It hurt like the dickens."

"I s