n
Sparks might be like. He was a rich man, Bob had said, and in close
touch with the moonshiners; though the Government had never been able
to connect him with any of the illicit Stills that had been raided from
time to time during the last dozen years. And so it was only natural to
believe that he must have surrounded himself with some of the comforts
of civilization, while remaining in this wild region. Words let fall by
Bob had given Thad this impression; as though they were going to be
surprised when the home of little Cousin Bertha was come upon.

"I'd like to have a little talk with you, Thad!"

The scoutmaster was not very much surprised when he heard these words,
and realized that Bob White had caught up with him as he strode along at
the head of the little squad of boys in khaki.

"He just couldn't hold in any longer," was what Thad whispered to
himself; "and now he's bound to let down the bars all the way, so
somebody will share his secret with him."

Turning upon the other, he said, pleasantly:

"Why, as many as you like, Bob; what's bothering you now; for I've seen
you looking my way quite some time, as though you wanted to speak. I
guess you'll feel better when you've had it out."

"Perhaps I may, suh, though I'm ashamed to have kept it from you so
long," answered the Southern boy, shame-facedly. "Fact is, I tried to
deceive myself into thinking that it couldn't interest or concern any of
my chums. But now, since I've been thinking it all over, and we've run
across Old Phin, it looks different to me, and I'm of the opinion I had
ought to have mentioned this before I took the lot of you down into
these danger mountains!"

Thad knew then that it could be no trifling thing that would agitate the
other as this seemed to do, and he steadied himself to meet the
disclosure.

CHAPTER VIII.

BOB CONFIDES IN THE PATROL LEADER.

"WHAT I want to tell you about is--my father," said Bob, swallowing
something that seemed to be sticking in his throat; as though the mere
mention of his dead parent had the power to affect him so.

"Yes?" Thad said, encouragingly, wondering at the same time how one who
had passed to the other side several years now, could have any sort of
connection with the mission of the scouts to this region.

"You'll perhaps understand, suh," continued Bob, getting a firmer grip
on himself; "when I mention the fact that my father, for a year or so
before he was taken, had filled the