at the lads had built through the town. This loop was
connected with an instrument in the bedrooms of every member of the troop
and the boys could be routed out of bed at midnight, if need be, by some
one calling on any of the keys. A wireless system had also been erected
on the roof of the building by the wireless enthusiasts of the troop and
the helix, spark-gap and various coils and keys were also set up in the
wire room.

Headquarters immediately became popular with every member of the troop
and always some one was to be found pottering about in the machine shop,
building something that he was particularly interested in. Two of the
boys, during the long Winter evenings, had made more or less serviceable
motorcycles for themselves, and a half dozen of the young engineers had
even essayed the construction of an automobile from old parts they were
able to get for "a song" at various junk shops; indeed, some serviceable
material was found in scrap heaps about town.

How well they succeeded, a wheezing two-cylinder motor car attested.
This turn-out was dubbed "Old Nanc" by the troop, and though it went far
better down grade than it did on the level, the boys managed to get a
great deal of fun out of it. And it was not a bad looking machine either
when it finally received several generous coats of red paint and enamel.

Luckily, Austin Ford, the engineer in charge of the hydro-electric plant
of the Woodbridge Quarry Company, became interested in the "Scout
Engineers," and through him the officials of the quarry company were
persuaded to allow the lads to use as much electric current as they
required without cost. The youngsters quickly built a transmission line
to the electric station, which was located a few miles north of the town
on a branch of Otter Creek.

Mr. Ford's interest in the lads increased to admiration when he saw the
business-like way in which they went about building the line, and he even
offered them some practical engineering advice when they found themselves
up against knotty problems. This led to a more intimate relation with
the young Cornell graduate, and in the end the boys suggested that he
become the Assistant Scoutmaster. This office rather pleased him, for in
reality Austin Ford was little more than a big boy in the matter of
pleasure.

He quickly became a master of scout lore and at every opportunity he was
afield with the lads or else in the shop at headquarters working out new
eng