ss probably he's there yet. You remember he had
some traps cached up there. Leg's as good as it ever was, and he swears,
and believes it too, that Walt here is the greatest little doctor that
ever came into the woods. He'll talk any one who will listen deaf, dumb
and blind on the Boy Scouts, and I believe he'd cut his right hand off
any time for Doctor Merriam. Alec's all right."

"And Big Jim! What's Jim doing and how is he?"

"He's the same old Jim. He's the boss of the Atwater lumber camp this
winter, with two crews under him and out to make a record cut. If the
weather holds good he'll come pretty near to doing it. Jim's the best
logging boss, as well as the best guide, in the North Woods. Now what
are you fellows going to do with me in Noo Yor-r-k?"

"That's mostly up to Hal, I'm afraid," replied Upton ruefully. "You see
I have to go to school next week. To-morrow is Saturday, and a holiday
of course, so I've got that free. No, I haven't either, come to think! I
promised to take my patrol out for a hike to-morrow afternoon, and I
don't quite see how I can avoid it now because there is no way of
getting word to the fellows unless----" He paused and scowled
thoughtfully. "I have it!" he exclaimed. "Scout McNulty has a 'phone in
his house, and I'll send him around to notify the others to-morrow
morning that the hike is off."

He jumped to his feet to go to the 'phone, but Pat stopped him. "What's
the matter with us going on that hike?" he demanded.

Instantly Walter's face lighted with pleasure. "Will you? Are you sure
you want to?" he cried. "The boys have heard so much about you that they
will be tickled silly to have a real, live, sure enough guide from the
woods with them. We were planning to go out to Bronx Park and try a
little winter woodcraft and----"

"That settles it. If it's Bronx Park I'm right with you, my son, unless
Hal has something else planned," interrupted Pat. "In that case, why, I
be in the hands av me frind, of course."

"Suits me," declared Hal promptly. "We'll take Pat down-town in the
morning and show him the sights and take him into Scout headquarters.
Then we'll go out to the park and show him that your Blue Tortoises are
not so slow as he may think from the name. We'll frame up something else
for the evening. That's a bully scheme. I'll bet that Pat will be
jealous of that patrol of yours, Walt, before we get through. Just you
put 'em on their mettle and give him something to tell th