d be deserving of great credit.

But if Thad and Bob White were in a serious frame of mind, the same
could hardly be said of several other members of the patrol. Giraffe,
Step Hen and Bumpus seemed to be fairly bubbling over with good humor.
Some boys can no more control their spirits than they can their
appetites.

As usual Step Hen suddenly discovered, while they were halting for a
breathing spell, that he was minus something. The evil spirits had
evidently been at work again, when he was off his guard, and succeeded
in abstracting part of his personal property. It really was a shame how
they beset that unlucky fellow.

"If it don't just beat the Dutch what happens to me?" he was heard to
loudly wail, looking around him in a helpless way.

"What's the matter now, Step Hen?" asked Allan; although he knew full
well what sort of an answer he must receive.

"They've been and done it some more," replied the disturbed scout,
helplessly.

The trouble was, that whenever he missed anything Step Hen always ran
around looking in all the places that no sensible person would ever
dream of examining. When Giraffe declared that he was like an old hen
with its head taken off, it just about fitted the case.

"What's gone this time?" continued the boy from Maine, with a smile at
the way Step Hen was turning over small stones, and stirring the leaves
with his foot, as if he really expected a miracle to be wrought, and to
find a bulky object that way.

"That little kodak I fetched along; you know I had it wrapped so
carefully in a waterproof cloth, and tied with top cord. Now it's gone!
Needn't spring that old story on me, and say I was careless. P'raps I
have been a few times; but right now I'm dead sure the fault ain't mine.
Somebody's playing a joke on me. Mind, I ain't mentioning no names; but
I've got my suspicions."

He looked hard at Giraffe, and the accusation could hardly have been
given in plainer language than that. But Giraffe was used to being
unjustly accused. There were occasions when he did seize upon a golden
opportunity to hide something belonging to his comrade, because it had
been left carelessly around; and Giraffe believed it a part of his duty
to break the other of such shiftless habits. But on this occasion he
held up both hands, declaring solemnly:

"Give you my word for it I never touched any camera. This time you've
either been and dropped it on the road; or else the Gold Dust Twins have
nabbed it