here you'll
meet these ladies and gentlemen who are to form the reception committee.
Reverend Doctor Wade will be looking for you, and he'll take you in hand
and tell you just what to do. There won't be much. I think the idea is
to meet the governor and the general with automobiles and escort them up
to the Lyceum. The committee'll sit on the platform, I suppose. Doctor
Wade will probably do all the talking.... You're not timid about it, are
you?" he added, looking up and smiling.

"Kind of, but----"

"Oh, nonsense; you just do what the others do. Here--here's a reception
committee badge for you to wear. This is one of the burdens of being a
public character, Tom," he added slyly. "Mr. Ellsworth's right, no
doubt; if the scouts are to be represented at all they should be
represented by a scout. Don't be nervous; just do as the others do, and
you'll get away with it all right. Now run along. I suppose I'll be on
the platform too, so I'll see you there.... You look pretty nifty," he
added pleasantly, as Tom took the ribbon badge.

"Mrs. Culver pressed it for me," said Tom. "It had a stain, but she got
it off with gasoline."

"Good for her."

"Would--do you think it would be all right to wear my Gold Cross?"

"You bet!" said Mr. Temple, busy with his mail. "If I had the scouts'
Gold Cross for life-saving, I'd wear it, and I'd have an electric light
next to it, like the tail light on an automobile to show the license
number."

Tom laughed. He found it easy to laugh. He was nervous, almost to the
point of panic, but his heart was dancing with joy.

"All right, my boy," laughed Mr. Temple. "Go along now, and good luck to
you."

As Tom went out of Mr. Temple's office he seemed to move on wings. He
was half frightened, but happy as he had never been in all his life. His
cup of joy was overflowing. He had been through the ordeal of more than
one generous ovation from his comrades in the troop; he had stood
awkward and stolid with that characteristic frown of his while
receiving the precious Gold Cross which this night he would wear.

But this was different--oh, so different! He, Tom Slade, was to help
receive the governor of the state and one of Uncle Sam's famous
generals. The Boy Scouts were to be represented because the Boy Scouts
had to be reckoned with on these occasions, and he, Tom Slade, organizer
of the Elk Patrol and now assistant to the scoutmaster, was chosen for
this honor.

"I'm glad I had my suit pr