worth
more than her board any day. We don't want any money. If ye'll let
her stay with us we'll be quite willin' to pay you something fer her.
We need her, and so do the scouts. It'll be a shame to take her back
to that stuffy city at this time of the year."

"But what shall I do without her?" Mrs. Sinclair asked. "She is all I
have near me, and I shall miss her so much if she remains with you."

"You can come and see her as often as you like," Mrs. Britt replied.
"We shall be so glad to have you."

And so it was arranged that Whyn was to stay for several weeks at
least, and the girl was delighted when she heard the news.

"You are the dearest and best people in the world, excepting mamma,"
she told the captain and Mrs. Britt. "It is so nice to be here, and
when I know that mamma can come to see me often I do not mind staying."

"But ye'll have to behave yerself, young woman," the captain replied.
"No more lyin' awake at night, remember, worryin' about the scouts.
And ye've got to eat more than ye have in the past."

"Oh, no fear of that," and Whyn laughed merrily. "I am going to eat so
much that you will be glad to send me away."

It did not take the captain long to get the scouts down to steady work.
As the holidays were now on they often met during the afternoons, when
the captain drilled them in marching, instructed them about the flag,
and taught them how to tie a number of knots. It was necessary for
them to know such things before they could obtain the tenderfoot
badges. They had to learn the Scout Law as well. It was not all work,
however, for the captain often took the boys for delightful spins upon
the river in the _Roaring Bess_, and soon all the scouts were able to
handle the yacht in a creditable manner.

It soon became evident that they must have a building of their own
where they could meet on wet days. The Commissioner had told them that
there was nothing like a club-room for their meetings. The captain had
been thinking this over for some time, and at last offered the use of
an old rafting shanty near the shore, and which could be easily seen
from Whyn's window. This building was fairly large, made of boards,
and the roof covered with tarred paper. It was well lighted by four
windows, which showed up the dirty condition of the room in an alarming
manner when the captain and the boys first inspected the place. There
were remnants of old bunks, tables and chairs, while broken boxes w