tion.

"I hope you do not mind," she said to the captain, when he asked her
point blank if the rumour was true.

"No, not at all," was the reply. "But I wish to goodness ye'd given us
a little warnin'. It was as great a surprise as when that bear charged
me up the brook. I wasn't expectin' it."

"Oh, I hope it was not as bad as that," was the laughing response, for
the singer had heard all about the adventure with the bear.

"Not hardly as bad, Miss. But the scouts are all upset. When not
playin' baseball, they are talkin' about what happened at the Review,
till I'm almost discouraged."

"It's only natural, captain. They'll get over their excitement in
time. I could not resist the temptation of writing to the
Lieutenant-Governor. It would have been a shame for your boys not to
have received credit for what they did, and I feel sure that all the
other scouts present at the Review were helped by the story of their
noble deed. I have just had a nice long letter from Whyn, and she is
delighted with what the scouts have accomplished. She sends her good
wishes to the boys, and thanks them over and over again for their
kindness to her."

"How's she gittin' along?" the captain enquired. "It's been a week
since we've had a letter from her."

"She is doing nicely, so she says, and the doctor thinks she will be
able to come home for Christmas."

"Will she be well then?"

"It seems so. The operation was pronounced a decided success, though
it will take some time yet for her to get strong."

"She's the finest girl that ever drew breath," and the captain turned
away his face so as not to show the mistiness which had suddenly dimmed
his eyes. "She's a plucky one, sure."

Three weeks after the Review Anna Royanna left Hillcrest. This was a
great grief not only to the scouts but to the Royals as well. But the
promise that she would visit them at Christmas if she could possibly
arrange it, gave them some comfort. This bright sympathetic woman had
entered so much into their lives, and had shared their joys and sorrows
as one of themselves, that when she was gone they felt depressed for
days.

With the passing of summer came the fall, with long cold nights, and
heavy winds. The scouts found it pleasant to meet in their snug room
around the genial fire. Gradually they began to settle down to the
work for the first-class tests, and also to review what they had
already learned.

"Yez must never imagine that