Part 9 (1/2)

”Only the test says _alone or with another scout_” Warde said doubtfully ”What do you think? It would be a peach of a chance and I'e”

”The question is, are we to consider Pee-wee a scout?” Roy said, winking at Warde ”Is he a scout or a sprout?”

”It's just as you say, you're patrol leader,” Warde laughed

”Sure, it's all right,” laughed Roy, ”coht about it”

”Have you got your note book?” Pee-wee again deht,” Pee-wee assured hioes with you or two”

With such high legal authority as this, Warde's mind was at rest He was the newest scout in the troop and a reat hit in the troop and was ih a member of the Silver Fox patrol to have ihtly leader which the others so hilariously exhibited The Silver Fox patrol was an institution altogether unique in scouting One had to be half crazy (as the Ravens and Elks said) before one became a tried and true Silverplated Fox--warranted The Silver Foxes had a spirit all their own--and they elcome to it

Warde had shown hisand spirit by not pushi+ng too aggressively into troop faed scout, he was at least a fine type for a scout, and the uproarious Silver Foxes and their irrepressible leader were proud of him

He had now, as he had said, but one test to take before becoht have meant to another for he had obtrusively prepared hies of the more easily won sort, as soon as his first class rank should enable hiame in fact, and hence the anxiety of his tone and ht be the chance of fulfilling the final requiree should be his None fully kne e His fine loyalty had kept hi them, but he had not been able to see those two fare forth without ju at the chance

The test on which his achievee of the handbook with the picture of the badge he longed for:

4--Make a round trip alone (or with another scout) to a point at least sevena boat, and write a satisfactory account of the trip, and things observed

Warde Hollister was not the one to strain theof this To him it meant just exactly what it said And so he had asked his patrol leader if it would be all right for three to go instead of two It was a sht, as any scoutreed The point is that Warde's thinking about it was very characteristic of him In this instance he accepted his patrol leader's decision

CHAPTER XIII

WARDE IS IN EARNEST

It was not likely that Warde Hollister would forget his note book, for his habit of keen observation and a knack he had for full and truthful description had won him the post of troop scribe which Artie Van Arlen's duties as Raven patrol leader had compelled him to relinquish

”If it's seven ht of acco them, ”all I'll have to do is to write et back and there you are”

”A first class scout,” said Pee-wee, quite as delighted as his friend

”It says fourteen miles there and back,” said Roy ”Maybe it'll be seven miles there but we don't kno far it will be back Soer one way than another You never can tell”

”You ht, you're so clever,” said Roy; ”how far is ten miles?”

”How _far?_”

”That's what I said”