more than
ever. It's all wrong, I tell you, fellows, and for one I refuse to lend
a hand," and Jack folded his arms as though his mind were made up once
and for all.

Paul saw that they were very near a division that might be fatal to the
future good of the cause. He wondered whether he could swing the crowd
to the other side, like the pendulum of a clock. It would take
considerable eloquence, as well as all his powers of leadership to
accomplish it; but the crisis was upon them, and he would be false to
himself if he did not meet the issue squarely.

"Will you listen to me, fellows?" he said, quietly, stepping forward to
occupy the place just vacated by Jack, and managing to whisper to the
other in passing: "back me up for all you're worth, and we may win the
day!"

"Of course we will! You're the scout leader, Paul, and when you hatch up
any game it's sure to be worth the powder. Let her go!" came from Jud,
who seemed to be a sort of ringleader in this little rebellion in the
camp.

"All right, boys. I'm going to make a proposition that will take your
breath away; but I have strong hopes that after what you've listened to
from that manual to-night, you'll be ready to back me up," continued
Paul.

"We believe in you, Paul. You never fooled us yet; and you never will.
What's your queer game?" asked Bobolink, ready to swing over already,
such was his faith in the one they had elected their leader.

The boys crowded around Paul, more than eager to hear what his proposal
might turn out to be; for novelty always appeals to the average lad.

"All of you know that old Peleg keeps his dooryard in a horrible
condition. Why, my mother says she doesn't believe it has been cleaned
up in years; and he hardly ever takes the trouble to even put his wagons
and that old buggy in the shed. It's a disgrace to the town to have him
so near. I've heard that the women talked about asking him to do
something to make it look cleaner."

"He's a stubborn old man, and can't be driven, my dad says," remarked
Jud.

"Now here's what I'm going to propose. You know he's pretty deaf, and
can't hear much that goes on. He used to have a savage dog, but it died
a couple of weeks ago, and since then he's been trying to get another,
but so far without success. Get that?"

"Yes, but go on, Paul," demanded Bobolink.

"Let's go over to Peleg's in a body," continued the scout leader; "and
while he sleeps clean up that dooryard of his so that in th