ew excitement.

"Well, there's no use wasting any more time in beating around the bush,
so I'll tell you right now what the idea is," Thad continued, smiling at
the eagerness of his comrade. "Suppose I could climb to the top of some
tree, and attract the attention of Allan, as he stood on that bald hill,
which is in plain sight from here; don't you understand that by making
use of my handkerchief, and the code, I might be able to tell him what's
happened, and get him to send Giraffe to Rockford so as to call the
Faversham Chief over the 'phone?"

Smith's face was wreathed in a smile of mingled admiration and delight
as he caught the full meaning of the bright thought that had come to the
mind of his companion, the scout-master.

CHAPTER XXVI.

A SIGNAL STATION IN A TREE-TOP.

"Oh! that's the finest thing that ever could happen, Thad;" was the way
the delighted Smithy put his feelings into words. "And just to think
that right here you can make use of scout knowledge to tell Allan what's
happened. Why, without the wigwag telegraph we'd never be able to let
him know one single thing."

"Just what I was thinking myself, Smithy," returned the scout-master.
"And as you get deeper into the splendid things a Boy Scout is supposed
to learn, while he climbs the ladder, you'll find that never a day
passes but what he can help himself, or some other fellow, by what he
knows."

"I'm quite certain about that, Thad," Smithy went on, brimming over with
satisfaction, and wonder at the cleverness of his chum. "Why, I was just
thinking it all over this morning, and what great chances a scout has to
do things that an ordinary boy would never be able to even try, because
he had not learned. Right now I'm positive I know how to best stop a
runaway horse without endangering my life more than is absolutely
necessary."

"That's the kind of talk I like to hear, Smithy; it shows that you
understand what the scout movement stands for; and mean to make the most
of the opportunities."

"Then suppose a chum of mine got in the water, and was taken with a
cramp," Smithy went on hurriedly, his blue eyes sparking with delight;
"why, after what you showed me this morning, I believe that as soon as I
know a little more about swimming, I could get him ashore."

"And when you had done that?" questioned Thad, who was meanwhile keeping
his eyes around him for the purpose of discovering the best tree which
he could use as a signal tower, in