ve an illustration of Hervey's status in camp....

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE BLACK SHEEP

The scouts were all around the camp-fire when Gilbert Tyson returned
with his captives. As they crossed the road and came upon the camp
grounds, the stranger seemed apprehensive and ill at ease, but Hervey
with an air of sweeping authority informed him that everything was all
right, that he would fix it for him.

"Don't you worry," he said; "I know all the high mucks here. You leave
it to me." He was singularly confident for one in disgrace. "I'll get
you a job, all right. When you see Slady or Uncle Jeb you just tell them
you're a friend of mine." Robin Hood seemed somewhat reassured by the
words of one so influential. By way of giving him a cheery reminder of
certain undesirable facts and reconciling him to a life of toil, Hervey
sang as they made their way to the office.

"You gotta go to work,
You gotta go to work,
You gotta go to work--
That's true.
And the reason why you gotta go to work
_IS_
The work won't come to you
_SEE?_

"I gotta go to bed,
I gotta go to bed,
Like a good little scout--
You see.
And the reason why I gotta go to bed
_IS_
The bed won't come to me.
D'you see?
The bed won't come to me."

This ballad of toil and duty (which were Hervey's favorite themes) was
accompanied by raps on Gilbert's head with a stick, which became more
and more vigorous as they approached the office. Here the atmosphere of
officialdom did somewhat subdue the returning prodigal son and he
removed his precious hat as they entered.

This matter was in Tom Slade's hands and he was going to see it through
alone. From camp-fire his watchful eye had seen the trio passing
through the grove and he was in the office before they reached it.

The office was a dreadful place, where the mighty John Temple himself
held sway on his occasional visits, where councilmen and scoutmasters
conferred, and where there was a bronze statue of Daniel Boone. Hervey
had many times longed to decorate the sturdy face of the old pioneer
with a mustache and whiskers, using a piece of trail-sign chalk.

At present he was seized by a feeling of respectful diffidence, and
stood hat in hand, a