ye've got to
git a hustle on. I've got letters in my pocket from several boys who
want to join. Some are willin' to walk quite a distance, and if ye
don't want to obey orders, out ye go. A troop can't be run right, any
more than a ship, unless orders are obeyed. I'll let yez off this
time, but, remember, a week from to-day ye'll report again, and then
I'll give my decision. That'll do now, so let's go fer a sail."

Every day Rod studied the price of berries in the newspaper, and cut
out the list. He also kept his account in his little note-book. At
the end of the first week he had made the following entries:

"July 17th--20 boxes at 7 cents . . . . $1.40
July 18th--20 boxes at 8 cents . . . . 1.60
July 20th--15 boxes at 7 cents . . . . 1.05
July 21st--10 boxes at 9 cents . . . . .90
-----
"$4.95"

The next week he sent off several more boxes which amounted to three
dollars according to his reckoning. He knew that the freight would
have to come out of this, which he believed would not be over one
dollar at the most. Thus he would have about seven dollars to spend
upon his suit, billy-can, axe, haversack, knife, and several other
things he saw in the scout list which had been sent from the store in
the city where the supplies were kept.

Rod showed his account to Captain Josh, and the latter believed that
the figures were about right, as he had each day found out from the
farmers what they had received for their berries. He was somewhat
surprised that Peter McDuff had sent no regular statements to Rod. He,
accordingly, made careful inquiries from several people who knew
McDuff, and what he learned gave him considerable uneasiness.

CHAPTER XV

IN THE CITY

Rod was now very anxious to buy his scout suit. He thought of the
money waiting for him in the city, and he spoke about it to Captain
Josh.

"I want to examine all the boys in the tenderfoot tests," the captain
replied. "The ones who are able to pass, and have earned the money for
their suits will go with me to the city. The rest will have to stay at
home."

The very next day the captain examined each scout separately. Rod was
the only one who was able to pass all the tests, and had earned the
money. The others felt somewhat sore because they could not ask their
parents for the money, and thus go to the city with the captain.
Several, in