their leader for the purpose of further discussion.

"The finest thing that could possibly have happened. We had our frolic;
and see what it hatched. After this Peleg Growdy will never be the same
grumpy man he was in the past. No boy need longer hesitate to call out to
him on the street; for Peleg, I take it, has seen a great light, eh,
Jack?" and Paul slapped his chum heartily on the shoulder as he spoke.

"My idea exactly," replied his chum, quickly. "And do you know it made me
feel bad the way he spoke of Mandy and the kids. Some of you fellows may
not know that he lost his wife and children in a fire that burned his
house down while he was away. I'm glad we did that job, and you deserve
the praise, Paul, because it was your own scheme."

"Humbug! every one of you chimed in as soon as it was mentioned, and so
you're entitled to as much praise as I am. But about those uniforms,
boys--hadn't the scout tailor better get to work, going over his
measurements again? We want the suits to fit all right, you know."

And in this way did Paul direct the attention of his comrades in another
quarter, because it was really unpleasant for him to be placed on a
pedestal, as though he were different from the rest of them.

Amid much laughter and joking the measuring went on. Wallace Carberry
wielded the tape-line, and Bobolink put down the figures, being closely
patched so that no errors could possibly creep in.

So engrossed were they in this interesting business, that no one paid the
least attention to their surroundings.

And when a heavy shutter was slowly closed over the one large window of
the tobacco barn, the fact went unnoticed.

In fact the meeting was about ready to disband, and one of the boys
started for the door to be in advance of his friends, when he made a
discovery.

"Who locked this door, fellows?" he called, as he tried in vain to budge
the barrier.

Of course this drew the attention of all the rest, and a rush was made
for the place of exit. One by one the boys tried to push the door open,
but even the stoutest of them failed to accomplish it.

"Who was the last one in?" demanded Bobolink, furiously, as he retired,
worsted from the encounter, to allow another a chance at the door.

"Old Peleg Growdy, to be sure; and the door wasn't fastened then. D'ye
suppose he did anything to it when he went out?" asked William, as he
tried to assist Jud, now straining and pushing in a useless endeavor to
move th