trange manner of talk greatly aroused the listeners curiosity.
They tried in turn to coax Hugh, Billy, Alec, Arthur or Monkey Stallings
to "open up and tell us what it all means, won't you like a good fellow?"
but those worthies only looked wise, nodded their heads, and told them
to "hold their horses," and in good time they would be treated to a
little surprise that would pay them for all their waiting.

The hall soon filled up, with seating space at a premium. It was
in a good cause and backed by the Women's League for Town Improvement.
The orphans needed a good many things to make them comfortable for the
winter, and this was to be one of several methods employed to obtain
these articles, which the town did not see fit to supply.

Walter Osborne, Bud Morgan and several of the other scouts had been
silently watching Hugh and his immediate chums. Their attention was
especially directed toward Billy Worth, who seemed to be so nervous
that he could hardly keep his seat.

"It's my opinion," remarked Walter, sagely, "that there's going to
be something of a surprise sprung on the rest of us to-night. I've
been keeping tabs on Billy, and to see him grin, and look so happy
and proud gives the thing away. He just can't keep his face straight,
he feels so important."

"But what can it be?" asked Jack Durham. "The whole entertainment
to-night is made up of Professor Wakefield with his violin, and three
selected moving pictures."

"Yes," added Bud Morgan, referring to a paper he held in his hand,
"and one of these is a comic, a second a trip through the island of
Ceylon, showing things just as if a fellow was there on the spot,
while the third and last seems to be a series of pictures showing
just how a company of players go about when engaged in making one of
their wonderful films."

"I don't see how Billy can expect to be in touch with any of those
things," commented Walter, more puzzled than ever. "We'll just have
to wait and see, as Hugh told us. It may be that they've coaxed Hugh
to consent to get up there on the platform to-night, and tell all
about what happened to them the time they went off to spend the week-end
up the country."

"Walter, I wouldn't be surprised if you'd guessed it, after all,"
said one of the other fellows; and then as a loud clapping of hands
announced that the well-known local violinist was about to make his
bow to the big audience, the boys stopped exchanging opinions, and
settled dow