rick mule.
That's one thing I like about the little beggar. And when you come right
down to it, independence is one of the fundamental principles of
scouting."

Once more Hal was inspired. "I have it, fellows!" he cried. "We'll make
him a Christmas present of the trip. He can't refuse a Christmas gift,
if it is put to him right. I'll get the passes and chip in toward
whatever he needs in the way of outfit. You two can make up the rest.
He'll be Pat's guest when he gets there, the same as Walt and myself, so
he can't kick on that. You're all my guests on the train anyway, so I
don't see how Sparrer's independence is going to be hurt a little bit."

"That will be great, if we can put it across," declared Upton, "and I
for my part would like nothing better than to have the youngster along.
It would be the event of a lifetime for him."

So it was decided that Upton should use all his diplomatic powers to
persuade Sparrer that he was needed for the largest success of the
party. His success was the result of a great deal of argument, helped
out by the boy's own longing to know what the woods life of which he so
often dreamed really was like. So now here they were actually on their
way, four as happy boys as ever set forth in quest of pleasure.

The week had been a busy one. Pat had spent a good part of it at Bronx
Park and the American Museum of Natural History, where his letters of
introduction and his own ready wit and evident thirst for knowledge had
made him a welcome visitor. During the rest of the time there had been
something doing every minute. Hal had seen to that. Upton had dug at his
books as if that scholarship hung on that one week's work. As for
Sparrer, he had worked early and late that he might leave a few extra
coins to make Christmas for the brother and two sisters at home.

"Did you telephone the hospital before we left?" asked Hal, turning to
Upton as they waited for their berths to be made up.

Walter nodded. "Did it the last thing before I left the house," he
replied. "The young lady is practically all right now, and has gone
home. Her father is getting along nicely and it is only a matter of time
when he will be right as ever. By the way, their story is exactly as
Sparrer had it. Looks like a sure case against the owner of that other
car. I understand that they are going to bring suit for damages. I
suppose that means that we'll have to go on the witness stand when the
thing comes off."

"Lucky