he liked. When, however,
he saw a restless movement among some of the more impatient, as though
they were stooping down to gather chips to shy at him, he knew the time
had come to open those sphinx-like lips, and speak.

"Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen," he began, when a roar interrupted
him, so that he pretended to hastily remedy his error--"I mean just
gentlemen; I have the honor to report that your committee waited on the
brothers of the Aldine troop, though unbeknown to their keenest scouts,
and watched the entire operations at their called meeting this morning."

"Good! Fine! Keep it up, Old Leatherstocking!"

"We learned that they are working like mad to excel in all the arts that
interest the scouting fraternity. Competitions were being run off in
every branch of the woodcraft business. We saw fires started, camps made,
trails followed, boats mended, fish flies tied, rods that had been made
by single members; we heard of all sorts of clever things that were being
done in Aldine that would give the troop marks in the grand round-up. We
listened to splendid speeches from the really efficient scout master, and
our hearts warmed within us toward the gallant foe against whom we must
soon be pitted; just as our bones ached because we had to squat there
high up in that tree over their camp, like a couple of roosting monkeys."

"Hear! hear! Bully for our monkeys! They're all to the good!" shouted
some of the more demonstrative boys, waving their hats wildly.

Bobolink stopped to give a few melancholy dabs at his thighs, just as
though they still ached from the long service in the tree; while Bluff
managed to emit a series of sympathetic groans.

Then the orator took up his theme again; and when Bobolink chose he could
even run Wallace Carberry a warm race on the school rostrum.

"Some people might think that it was hardly fair in us to spy on our
rivals; but we are running our troop under strictly military rules. It's
always fair to try and find out what you are going to be up against when
entering a competition. We are badly handicapped, because both of these
other troops in the county have been working all summer; and we've got to
come up from behind in our attempt to capture the prize. That's right,
isn't it, fellows?"

"Sure! We only want to know if they're going to make a big fight; or
whether they expect to have a walk-over. Besides, I happen to know that
there was a Bald Eagle from Aldine watching us wo