nd a slight shade passed over the girl's sunny face. "It
takes a lot of money, and we are poor. Mamma plays the organ in St.
Barnabas Church on Sundays, and gives music lessons through the week.
But it takes so much to pay doctor bills."

"Where's your father?" Rod asked.

"He's dead. He died when I was a little baby."

"Oh!" Rod was all sympathy now. So this girl was an orphan, something
like himself, with a mother but no father.

"I have one brother," Whyn explained. "He is older than I am. He is
at Ottawa now, working for the Government. He helps us all he can, but
he has been there such a short time that he can't do much yet. He will
after awhile, though, for Douglas is so good."

"Is that your brother's name?"

"Yes. I miss him so much, for we always played together, and he used
to read to me, and wheel me about the house."

"Have you told him your secret?" Rod inquired.

"Not yet. I want to surprise him. You see," here she lowered her
voice, and glanced toward the door, "I am going to write a story."

"Oh!" Rod's eyes grew suddenly big.

"Yes, a real story, which has been in my mind for some time. I am
going to change it now and bring you into it. There were some parts I
could not work out, but now I know. I shall make you a boy scout, a
patrol leader, who rescues a cripple girl from the river."

"What's a boy scout?" Rod queried.

"Didn't you ever hear of the scouts?" and Whyn looked her surprise.

"No. Never heard of them before."

"Well, isn't that funny, and you a boy, too."

"Guess they can't be much," Rod replied, somewhat nettled. "Grandad
and Captain Josh know about most everything, and if they haven't heard
of them they can't be of much account."

"But they are," Whyn insisted. "Douglas was a patrol leader, and he
told me what they did. They met in the school-room of our church, and
had such a great time. They had a supper, too; every month, and when
that was over they sang songs and played games."

"Is that all they did?"

"Oh, no. They had to work hard, for they had to learn so many things.
To get the tenderfoot badge, they had to know the scout law, how to tie
knots, and a whole lot about the flag."

"H'm, I guess I know about knots," and Rod gave his head a superior
toss. "Captain Josh taught me about them."

"But did he teach you how to help people who cut themselves, or break
their arms, or if some one falls into the water, how to bring him back
to lif