d never qualify for merit in any particular line. For
certainly he knew nothing about Agriculture, or Angling, Archery,
Architecture, Art, Astronomy, Athletics, Automobiling, or Aviation. "And
so I don't see how I'll ever be a merit-badger," he told Mr. Perkins
wistfully, when he had gone through the list of the A's.

Sometimes of late, in Johnnie's opinion, the scout leader had seemed to
be as absentminded as Cis; and now he was evidently not thinking of the
matter in hand, for he asked a question which appeared to have nothing
whatever to do with merit badges. Also, it was a most embarrassing
question, since it concerned a fact which Johnnie had been careful, all
these past weeks, to suppress. "Can you cook?" he inquired.

For a moment Johnnie did not answer, being divided in his mind as to
what to say, but sat, his very breath suspended, searching a way out of
his dilemma. Then he remembered the laws Mr. Perkins had just read to
him--in particular he remembered one which deplored the telling of lies.
He understood that he must live up to that law if he were ever to hold
any badge he might be able to earn. "I--I help out Cis sometimes," he
admitted. "Y' see, she goes t' the fac'try awful early. And--and if I
didn't know how t' cook, why, maybe--if I was t' go 'way from
here--maybe I'd almost starve t' death."

"At the same time," reminded Mr. Perkins, "you're doing Miss Narcissa a
daily good turn."

That aspect of the matter had not occurred to Johnnie, who at once felt
considerably better. "And also I earn my keep," he added proudly.

"Earning your keep comes under the ninth law," pointed out Mr. Perkins.
"A scout is thrifty. He pays his own way."

Now the leader seemed to be in the proper mood to hear even the worst,
and this Johnnie decided to admit. "I--I sweep, too," he confessed; "and
make beds, and--and wash dishes." Then he set his small jaws and waited,
for the other was again thoughtfully turning the pages of the book. He
could hear the hard thump-thumping of his own heart. He began to wish
that he had not been tempted to tell. He saw himself forever barred out
of those ranks he so yearned to join just because he had been guilty of
doing girl's work.

Mr. Perkins stopped turning pages and looked up with a smile. "With some
study, you might be able to get the Personal Health Badge," he said;
"but I guess, after all, that the easiest one for you will be the merit
badge for cooking."

_The merit badge