oop can be started. And I'm glad you can figure on
enough. It's going to make it a success from the start."

"There's yourself to begin with," remarked Josh, counting with his
fingers; "Felix, Walter Douglass, George here, Billy Button, Horace
Crapsey, Carl and myself, making the eight we need for a patrol."

"I'm glad you're all anxious to join," said Tom, glancing from one
eager face to the other, as they walked slowly down the street in a
group.

"Why, so far as that goes, Tom," ventured Felix Robbins, "most of us
are counting the days before we can be wearing our khaki suits and
climbing up out of the tenderfoot bunch to that of second-class scout.
Only Carl here seems to be kind of holding back; though none of us can
see why he should want to go and leave his old chums in the lurch."

At that Tom gave Carl another look a little more searching than his
first. He was immediately struck by the fact that Carl did not seem as
happy as usual. He and Tom had been close chums for years. That fact
made Tom wonder why the other had not taken him into his confidence, if
there was anything wrong.

Carl must have known that the eyes of his chum were upon him for he
flushed, and then looked hastily up.

"Oh! it isn't that I wouldn't be mighty glad of the chance to go into
this thing with the rest of you," he hastened to say; "don't believe
that I'm getting tired of my old chums. It isn't that at all. But
something has happened to make me think I may be kept so busy that I'd
have no time to give to studying up scout laws and attending meetings."

"Oh! forget it all, Carl, and come in with us," urged Josh, laying a
hand affectionately on the other's shoulder. "If it's anything where we
can help, you know as well as you do your own name that there isn't a
fellow but would lay himself out to stand back of you. Isn't that so,
boys?"

Three other voices instantly joined in to declare that they would only
be glad of the opportunity to show Carl how much they appreciated him.
It always touches a boy to find out how much his chums think of him.
There was a suspicious moisture about Carl's eyes as he smiled and
nodded his head when replying.

"That's nice of you, fellows. But after all perhaps I may see my way
clear to joining the troop. I hope so, anyway, and I'll try my best
to make the riffle. Now Tom, tell us all Mr. Witherspoon said."

"Yes, we want to know what we'd have to do the first thing," added
Josh, who was about