. I've been living with him
at Woodcraft ever since you fellows left, except for a week or two at a
time on the trap line, and if ever I amount to anything it will be
because of Doctor Merriam. 'Tis he that has taken the Irish from my
tongue, though not from the heart of me. Shure I be as good an Irishman
as iver, and the Saints defind me if I iver be anything else," he added,
with a twinkle at this lapse into his mother tongue.

"You're a wonder, Pat!" broke in Walter. "I wouldn't have believed that
even Doctor Merriam could have taken that burr off your tongue. What did
he do it with--a file? Gives me a funny feeling, as if you were not you
at all, every time I hear you speak without it. Feel sort of--well, you
know--like an old friend had disappeared. And--and--I don't think I
quite like it."

Pat's face suddenly sobered and rising to his feet he strode over to
where Upton sat tilted back in his chair, his feet on the desk, and
swung a big fist, hard as nails, perilously close to Upton's nose. "Take
ut back, ye little spalpeen," he commanded. "Take ut back and tell me ye
loike me betther for what I am than for what I was!"

Walter ducked in mock fear. The sudden move threw him off balance, and
with a crash he and the chair went over backward. One of Pat's big
hands clutched him by the collar and lifted him to his feet. An
exaggerated sigh from the young giant followed. "I don't know but that
ye be roight afther all," he said mournfully. "The first toime we met ye
gave me the best thrashing av me loife and I loved ye for ut. Now I have
but to shake me fist to put ye down for the count. Shure 'tis not I that
was, and yet if I be not I that was, who be I that I be?" The humorous
blue eyes grew tense and earnest. There was a new note in the deep
vibrant voice as he continued.

"I am still Pat Malone, and proud of it. If I am not the old Pat I am
proud of that too. And what I am to-day is due to Walt Upton, Doctor
Merriam and the Boy Scouts of America. It was Walt who first blazed the
trail for me. It is Doctor Merriam who is teaching me how to follow it,
and it is the principles of the Boy Scouts which have brought out
whatever of good there is in me. I tell you, fellows, if there is any
one thing that I am proud of it is that I am a Scout."

"Same here," interrupted Hal. "Scouting hasn't done any more for you
than it has for me."

"You fellows are surprised because I can speak the King's English
without wholly mu