little spectacularly, perhaps--what they
would do if war actually came.

Suddenly Bob Gibson sniffed. "Shucks!" he commented dogmatically. "Of
course it isn't. I don't believe in this war business. I'll bet that
old surprise is some silly thing not worth mentioning. I'll bet it's
as foolish as the riot wedge. If anybody can tell me what good that is or
ever would be, I'll give him an ice-cream soda. When would there ever
be a riot in this one-horse burg? I'd like to know. And if there was
one, what would a bunch of fellows like us be able to do against--"

"Oh, cut it out!" begged Ranny Phelps. "You know you're just talking to
hear the sound of your own voice."

"Am not!" growled Gibson, stubbornly. "Here we've wasted over an hour on
the blooming thing, and it's not the first time, either, he's kept us
late. It's getting to be nothing but drill, drill, drill, and it makes
me sick."

"Don't be an idiot just because you happen to know how," urged Ranny, a
touch of earnestness beneath his banter. "You know perfectly well it
isn't all drill, or anything like it. Maybe there's been more of it just
lately, but I don't see any sense in taking up a thing unless you do it
right. Trouble with you, Bob, you're so set and stubborn that you've
got to find something to kick about or argue against or you wouldn't be
happy. I'll bet if Dan Beard himself came out for a talk, you'd want
to give him points on camping, or forestry, or something like that."

There was a shout of laughter from the others that brought a touch of
color to Gibson's cheeks. He growled out an emphatic denial, but Ranny
had hit the mark so accurately that Bob dropped the subject for the time.

There was not a vacant place in the line the next Monday, and when
the scout commissioner stepped forward to speak he was greeted with
flattering attention. Some of this was due to his position in the
movement; but a great deal more, it must be confessed arose from the fact
that he was an exceedingly active and competent officer in the national
guard, and as such was regarded by the boys as a rather superior being.

"I've only a few words to say, fellows," Captain Chalmers began. "From
now on I want you all to work extra hard on your signaling and first
aid. These are the two features of scouting which, in the near future,
may be particularly valuable. Keep up your practice for the rally, but
give all the rest of your spare time to these two things. There's one
more p