f you stop to think of the many uses we've put that same
rope to, from yanking a fellow out of a quicksand, to tying up a bad man
who had escaped from the penitentiary, you'll all agree with me that
it's been one of the best investments we ever made."

"That's right," echoed Seth, always willing to give credit where such
was due.

"Ketch me ever going into the woods without my rope," declared Eben.

"Well, do we make that start for home and mother and supper right now;
or are we going to stay here till she gets plumb dark?" asked Fritz,
impatiently, moving his feet out of the way every time anyone approached
too closely, as though possessed by a fear lest he be tempted to repeat
his recent act.

"Come on, everybody," said Eben, making a start, "I refuse to hang out a
minute longer. Seems like I c'n just get a whiff of the steak a sizzling
on the gridiron at our house; and say, when I think of it, I get wild.
I'm as hungry as that bear that came to our camp, and sent us all up in
trees like a covey of partridges."

"If you're as hungry as that after just an afternoon's signal practice,
think what'll happen when we've been hiking all day, and covered our
little forty or fifty miles?" suggested Andy, chuckling.

"Oh! come off, Andy, you don't really mean that, do you?" called out
Eben over his shoulder. "I'm good for twenty-five miles, I think; but
you give me a cold feeling when you talk about fifty. And poor old
Noodles here will melt away to just a grease spot, if the weather keeps
on as warm as it is now."

"Don't let him worry you, Eben," sang out Seth. "I heard Paul telling
how at the most we might try for thirty the second day, so as to get
ahead a bit. But what is going to count in this test is
regularity--keeping up an even pace each day of the four. And chances
are we'll own that fine trophy by the time we get back to Beverly
again."

"Didn't I hear something about our having to register at a lot of places
along the way?" asked Jotham.

"Yes, I believe that's a part of the game," replied Seth. "It's only
right, just to prove that we haven't cut across lots, and shirked any.
Mr. Sargeant and the two members of the committee mean to wait up for us
at each station, and kind of keep an eye on us. I guess they want to
encourage us some, too, when we come in, dusty and tired and feeling
pretty near fagged out.

"Some of the other fellows, Steve Slimmons, Arty Beecher, and two more,
who expect to start our