the return trip by water," Carl continued.
"It will be great after so much tramping and camping. Besides, some of
the boys have never been fifteen miles up the river before, and so the
trip is going to be a picnic for them."

"Come over to-night and do your cramming for the exam with me,"
suggested Tom.

"I'd like to the worst kind," the other boy said with a grimace; "but
this is the night Mr. Culpepper generally pops in, and you see I'm on
guard. But I'm hoping mother will give him his walking papers pretty
soon now."

"You would have to put a bomb under his chair to convince Amasa that
his space was more desired than his company," laughed Tom, as he strode
off toward his own comfortable home.

The days passed, and since school would be over for the year at the end
of the week, in the bustle of examinations and all that they meant for
each boy scout, the intended outing was over-shadowed for the time
being.

When, however, several of the scouts got together of course the talk
soon drifted toward the subject of the hike, and many were the
wonderful projects advanced, each of which seemed to give promise of a
glorious prospect ahead.

So Friday night finally came.

School had been dismissed with all the accustomed ceremonies that
afternoon, and there were few of the boys who had not gone up to a
higher grade, so that when the last meeting before their expected
vacation trip was called to order by the president of the organization
it was a care-free and happy assemblage that answered the roll-call.

Mr. Witherspoon, the scout master, was on hand, but he seldom
interfered with the routine of the meeting. It was his opinion that
boys got on much better if allowed to manage things as much as possible
after their own ideas. If his advice was needed at any time he stood
ready to give it; and meanwhile he meant to act more as a big brother
to the troop than its leading officer.

Of course Mr. Witherspoon expected to start out on the hike with the
boys. His only fear was that he might not be allowed to finish the
outing in their company, since he was liable to be called away at any
time on urgent business.

The usual routine of the meeting was gone through with, and then a
general discussion took place in connection with the anticipated hike.
They had laid out the plan of campaign as well as they could,
considering that none of the boys had actually been over the entire
route before.

"That makes it all the more