egrees."

Thad had before now, of course, flung a look at the girl who was sitting
beside Reuben Sparks. He was more interested because of the fact that he
knew her to be the little Cousin Bertha, of whom Bob White had been
telling him.

She was a pretty little girl too, Thad could see that; and he also
thought there was a wistful expression on her delicate face. If, as Bob
declared, Bertha was really a prisoner in the care of a cruel guardian,
when her whole soul longed to be away from these wild mountains, and in
the haunts of civilization, that expression would be easily understood.

And right then and there Thad Brewster found himself siding with his
chum Bob White more than ever. He felt a hope beginning to grow strong
within his heart that some way might be discovered whereby Bertha could
be taken from the Blue Ridge, which country she detested, and
transplanted to that Northern town where lived her own flesh and blood
relatives, who yearned to care for her tenderly, if only the law would
allow.

Thad saw that Bob was no longer in the same place. The scouts had moved
forward a little, to cluster around the vehicle, while their leader held
conversation with the gentleman. And Bob was gradually making his way
around so as to come on the other side, where he might in some way
attract the attention of the little maid without Reuben seeing him.

It was plain to be seen that he hoped to seize upon this golden
opportunity to open communications with Bertha. Thad, while he continued
to talk with Reuben, and interest him more or less in the object of a
hike on the part of Boy Scouts, kept one eye in the direction of Bob
White.

He saw the other take off his campaign hat, and wave it up and down with
a movement that of course attracted the attention of the girl. She
started violently as she saw that well-known face of her cousin, of whom
she had been so fond ever since she was a little tot.

Wise Bob instantly placed a warning finger on his lips, and the girl
immediately turned her face the other way, while that campaign hat was
drawn further down than ever over the boy's face. So that when Reuben
glanced round, as if wondering what had caused his ward to give such a
violent start, he saw nothing suspicious in the boy who was apparently
bending over, fastening his shoestring.

Of course Reuben Sparks knew more or less about Boy Scouts, even though
he may never have had the opportunity of meeting any of the great
o