Will you do me a favor, Bumpus? "Sure I will, Giraffe; what is it you want now?" "Then tell me who that is talking to our scoutmaster, Dr. Philander Hobbs; because, you know, I've just come in after a scout ahead, and first thing saw was a stranger among the patrol boys." "Oh! You mean that thin chap who came along in his buggy a bit ago, chasing after us all the way from that town where we had a bite of lunch? Why, I understand he's the son of the telegraph operator there. You know we made arrangements with him to try and get a message to us, if one came along." "Whew! then I hope he ain't...

Will you do me a favor, Bumpus? "Sure I will, Giraffe; what is it you want now?" "Then tell me who that is talking to our scoutmaster, Dr. Philander Hobbs; because, you know, I've just come in after a scout ahead, and first thing saw was a stranger among the patrol boys." "Oh! You mean that thin chap who came along in his buggy a bit ago, chasing after us all the way from that town where we had a bite of lunch? Why, I understand he's the son of the telegraph operator there. You know we made arrangements with him to try and get a message to us, if one came along." "Whew! then I hope he ain't...

"Did anybody happen to see my knapsack around?" "Why, you had it just a few minutes ago, Step Hen " "I know that, Bumpus; and I'd take my affidavy I laid it down on this rock." "Well, don't whine so about a little thing like that, Step Hen; it ain't there now, and that's a fact."

"Will you do me a favor, Bumpus?" "Sure I will, Giraffe; what is it you want now?" "Then tell me who that is talking to our scoutmaster, Dr. Philander Hobbs; because, you know, I've just come in after a scout ahead, and first thing saw was a stranger among the patrol boys."

"How is the cripple crowd coming on these days? Hello Step Hen, any more snake bites? Hope you're not limping with that other leg, now?" "I should say not, Thad. But I'm always going to believe you did a lot to keep the poison from getting into my system, when you sucked that wound." "And how about your game limb, Giraffe-was it the right, or the left you bruised so badly on the stones when you fell?"

"Tara-tara " Loud and clear sounded the notes of a bugle, blown by a very stout lad, clad in a new suit of khaki; and who was one of a bunch of Boy Scouts tramping wearily along a dusty road. "Good for you, Bumpus Can't he just make that horn talk, though?" cried one. "Sounds as sweet as the church bell at home, fellows " declared a second. "Say, Mr. Scout-Master, does that mean a halt for grub?" a third called out. "Sure, Giraffe. Brace up old fellow. You'll have your jaws working right soon, now. And here's a dandy little spring, right among the trees How shady and cool it looks, Thad."

"I tell you, Bumpus Hawtree, I can do it as easy as turn my hand over, once I get the hang of the thing " "Oh you don't say so, Giraffe? Here you've been trying for these three days past, with your silly old bow and stick, twirling away like an organ grinder; and never so much as struck a single spark of fire yet." "Well, you see, there are a whole lot of things about the thing I don't know." "Sure there are. You can do everything but the right thing. You spin that stick with the point that fits in the hole you made in that block of wood, like fun; but your fine tinder don't even smoke, as...