u'll have some remarkable things to set down in that log book of
yours for this particular day, Tom," said the scout master; "and I
think you can do the subject justice. I hope to read an account of this
trip in print one of these days."

"Oh! there's a small chance of my account taking the first prize, I'm
afraid Mr. Witherspoon," laughed the leader of the Black Bear Patrol;
"I imagine there'll be scores of competitors in the race, and plenty of
them can write things just as well as I can, perhaps even better."

"Yes," remarked Josh, "but don't forget that every account of an outing
trip has to be absolutely true. No wonderful imaginary stories will be
allowed in the competition, the rules said."

"Yes, that's just what they did state," added Felix; "you've got to
have things authenticated--wasn't that the word the paper used?"

"Attested to in due form by the scout master who accompanied the
troop," Mr. Witherspoon explained, smiling; "and in this case I can do
that with an easy conscience."

"And if things keep going as they have been lately," declared another
boy, "there never was and never can be a trip so crowded with
interesting happenings as this same hike of Lenox Troop over Big Bear
Mountain."

The fire was made without any particular trouble, just as Josh and some
of the others had predicted. The boys knew how to get dry fuel out of
the heart of a stump, and once the fire was roaring it hardly mattered
what kind of wood was used, since the heat quickly dried it out.

Then supper was cooked as usual, only on this occasion they dispensed
with some of the conditions that were not absolutely necessary, such as
having two separate fires.

On the whole they managed to get on, and every one admitted he could
dispose of no more when finally the meal was concluded.

Later on the boys sat around, and while most of them compared notes
regarding their experiences during the exciting day just closed, others
proceeded to attend to certain duties they did not wish to postpone any
longer.

As for Tom Chesney, it was an aim with him to write out his account of
daily events while they were still fresh in his mind. He was afraid
many of the little details might be forgotten if he delayed; and in the
end those were what would give most of the charm to the narrative of
the scout doings.

The storm had passed on, and above them they saw the stars peeping out
once more. Long into the night the steady drip of water coul