as over for the week, and as
there was an unmistakable feeling of coming spring in the air
the snow on the ground seemed to be in haste to melt and
disappear.

Every now and then one of the boys would be overcome by an irresistible
temptation to stoop, gather up enough of the soft clinging snow to make
a hard ball, which was thrown with more or less success at some tree or
other object.

The town of Lenox was just one of many in the eastern section of the
great United States, and boasted a few thousand inhabitants, some
industries, a high school, and various churches. In Lenox the boys
were no different from those to be found in every like community.
They had a baseball club that vied with rival schools in spirited
contests, a football organization, and in fact almost every element
that might be expected to thrive in the midst of a lively community.

There was, however, one thing in which the boys of Lenox seemed to have
been lacking, and this had been brought home to them when Tom Chesney
came back from his recent visit to Freeport, some twenty miles away.

Somehow the growing fever among boys to organize scout troops had not
broken out very early in Lenox; but if late in coming it bade fair to
make up for lost time by its fierce burning.

The boy who now joined the four whose chatter we have just recorded was
a healthy looking chap. There was something positive about Tom Chesney
that had always made him a leader with his comrades. At the same time
he was never known to assume any airs or to dictate; which was all the
more reason why his chums loved him.

"What luck, Tom?" demanded Josh, as soon as the newcomer joined the
others.

"It's all fixed," was the quick answer given by Tom, who evidently did
not believe in beating about the bush.

"Good for you!" cried Felix. "Then Mr. Witherspoon is willing to
organize the Lenox Troop of Boy Scouts, is he, Tom?"

"He said he would be glad to have a hand in it," replied the other,
"his only regret being that as he is often called out of town he might
not be able to give the matter all the attention he would like."

"That's great news anyhow, Tom!" declared Josh, beaming with
satisfaction. "We've just been figuring things out, and believe
we can find eight fellows who would be willing to make up the
first patrol."

"We would need that many for a starter," commented Tom; "because
according to the rules he tells me there must be at least one full
patrol before a tr