th you."

"We know where they're hid in the brush," Tony hastened to declare;
"and I c'n get 'em again inside of an hour. I'm a-goin' to do it too,
'cause I feel mean about that thing. I'm done with callin' the scouts
names. Fellers that'd reach out a helpin' hand to them that didn't
deserve it must be the right sort. And laugh if you want to, Tom
Chesney, but when we get back home I want ye to lend me a book that
tells all a feller has to do when he thinks of gettin' up a scout
troop!"

Tony was as good as his word. When he said a thing he stuck to it,
which was his best quality. He tramped a long way back along the trail,
and reappeared after sunset bearing the missing cooking utensils.

"We're going to pay for the eatables we took later on, I promise ye,
Tom," he declared.

They spent a great night and those four boys who had hated the scouts
so long learned many wonderful things connected with the great movement
as they sat by the fire, and listened to all that was said.

In the morning they went their way, and appeared to be different youths
from what they had been in the past.

Mr. Witherspoon and the scouts spent another day and night with the
hermit-naturalist. Then on the next morning they started forth to
complete their hike over Big Bear Mountain.

It chanced that no further adventures came their way, and one afternoon
weary but well satisfied with the success of their trip, the troop
re-entered Lenox, with Felix sounding his fish horn just as valiantly
as though it were the most beautiful silver-plated bugle that money
could buy.

CHAPTER XXV

WHEN CARL CAME HOME--CONCLUSION

Amasa Culpepper had taken advantage of the absence of Carl to drop
around that afternoon to see the widow. He fully believed that by this
time Dock Phillips had either destroyed or lost the paper he claimed to
have found; or else Amasa felt that he could secure possession of it at
any time by paying the sum the boy demanded.

When Carl drew near his home he saw the well-known rig of the old
lawyer and grocer at the gate. Somehow, the sight gave Carl an
unpleasant feeling. Then, as his hand unconsciously went up to the
pocket where he had that precious paper, he felt a sensation of savage
joy.

They would get rid of this nuisance at last. Mr. Culpepper would have
to produce the certificate for the oil shares that had become so
valuable, now that the receipt he had given for it could be produced,
and after that an