s,
Stanhope must work hard to catch up with the other fellows."

There were several boys standing around, also gaping at the fine snowy
banner, upon which as the card under it, went on to state, was to be
embroidered with colored silk the totem of the leading patrol of the
successful troop.

These fellows could not help knowing who the strangers in town were; and
it was also easy for them to guess what had brought Paul and Jack down
there. More than a few times had they seen these Stanhope boys competing
on the athletic field, either in baseball, or football. And of course it
was always good form for Manchester lads to "josh" any would-be rivals.

"Yes," said one of the natives, with a grin, "up in that corner is where
the eagle is going to be painted. And every time we go on a hike we'll
carry that banner at the head of the procession."

"They say," remarked another, with pretended innocence, "that poor old
Stanhope is getting up a troop, and even hopes to have a try for this
beauty. Now, what do you think about the nerve of that, fellows?"

"Oh! well, the more the merrier," came from a third, whom Paul knew to be
the scout leader of the "Eagles" in person, "and after all, we don't mind
showing these tenderfeet scouts how to do stunts. None of us want to be
hogs, boys. There's room enough for all, even if some do have to eat
the husks."

Paul had to laugh out loud at this.

"Say, you're on to us, all right, Manchester," he said, turning around.
"Yes, we've come down here just to take a peep at this great prize. Of
course we'd like mighty well to say we meant to win it; but we're too
modest for that. The most we admit is that we mean to make a try for it.
Of course we haven't got much show against two such veteran troops as
Manchester and Aldine; but we want to get all the fun out of the game we
can. And you won't begrudge us that, Claypool?"

"Sure we won't, Morrison," returned the other, frankly, thrusting out
his hand; "as I said before, the more in it the better. It will make our
victory look bigger."

"Glad to see you're so dead sure of winning out," laughed Paul; "whenever
the Stanhope boys go into anything they always work harder if they have
big odds against them. But all the same that's a bully good banner, and
no matter whether it has an eagle, the head of a beaver, or that of a
fox worked on it in colored silk, it's going to be something we'll all
be proud of as Boy Scouts."

"That's well put, Mor