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lked. William especially seemed light hearted; and since nothing like order was maintained during the steady tramp, he enlivened the way with his songs and squibs. It was different with Paul. Pretty much all the responsibility weighed upon his young shoulders, since Mr. Gordon trusted to him to carry the troop to the place selected for the camp, wherever that might be. He had scores of things to think of, and must always be on the alert to keep his finger on the pulse of the entire score of lads. When they made their noon halt they had reached another spring known to Paul, though some little distance away from the road. Breaking ranks, they followed the directions of their leader and made for the water, each boy eager to get at the contents of his knapsack, wherein loving hands had so carefully stowed such dainties as the son of the house was known to favor. "Don't we have a fire, and some cooked grub, Paul?" demanded William, eagerly, as he hovered about the wagon, ready to pounce upon the kettles and pans that had been brought along to serve as cooking receptacles. "Not here," replied the leader, smiling at the look of disappointment visible on William's face, which he could twist about in the most comical way ever seen outside of a clown's work in the circus. "To-night we'll make our first regular camp, you know, and that will be time enough to break in." "Oh! I'm wise now to the idea. You want the boys to get rid of a lot of the sweet stuff they've loaded in their grips. And I reckon you're just about right. The sooner they get down to plain grub, the better. Cakes and such are good enough at home, but give me the bacon, the flapjacks, the hominy, the fried fish and camp fare when I'm in the woods." William talked big, but Paul happened to know that pretty much all his information with regard to what should be done during an outing of this sort had been gleaned from books, though he could cook quite well. His brother Wallace was just the opposite, and knew from actual experience what a camper should, and should not, do. A rest of an hour was taken, during which time the scouts lightened their bulging knapsacks considerably. Indeed, Paul had high hopes that by the time another day had passed the supply of crullers and similar dainties would have vanished completely. During the afternoon they did not try to hurry. There were several reasons for this. Already a number of the boys began to complain
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