me of the others, were spell-bound by what they
saw, gazing as though fascinated at the blood dripping from the man's
fingers, Thad Brewster was not included in this group.

He had long ago picked up a smattering of knowledge connected with a
surgeon's duties; and ever since taking up the new life of a Boy Scout,
those things which concerned the saving of human life had somehow
appealed to young Thad with redoubled force.

More than once now had he been called upon to show what he knew along
these lines. A boy had been severely cut by an ax he was carelessly
wielding in camp; and might have bled to death only for the energetic
actions of Thad, who knew just how to secure a stout bandanna
handkerchief around above the wound, with the knot pressing on the
artery; and making a tourniquet by passing a stick through the folds of
the rude bandage, twist until the bleeding was temporarily stopped, and
the boy could be taken to a doctor.

Another time it had been a case of near drowning, when Thad, who had
learned his lesson well, succeeded in exercising the lad's arms, after
laying him on his chest and pressing his knee upon him, until he had
started the lungs to working. In that case every one of the other scouts
declared that only for these prompt applications of scout knowledge the
unfortunate one would surely have died.

And so, when he saw that the man who was being thus supported into their
camp had been shot in the arm, and was in danger of bleeding to death,
the surgeon instinct in Thad Brewster came immediately to the surface.

He never once thought about the fact that the man was very probably one
of those very lawless moonshiners, whose presence all around had
virtually marooned himself and chums in the heart of the mountains. He
was a man, and in trouble; and perhaps Thad could be of some help!

And so the generous-hearted boy sprang forward, eager to lend a hand.

"Bring him right up to the fire, men!" he exclaimed. "What happened to
him? Was he shot? We heard a gun go off a little while ago, and wondered
what it meant."

The two men urged their injured companion forward. He seemed to have
little mind of his own in the matter; though Thad could see that he had
his jaws set, and was apparently determined to betray no sign of
weakness in this terrible hour. The customary grit of the North Carolina
mountaineer was there, without fail. It showed in the clenched hand, the
grim look on his weather-beaten face, a