ms through the straps of the haversack and was on his way to
headquarters.

The troop had already assembled. The scouts were feverish. It still
lacked fifteen minutes of one o'clock when Mr. Wall appeared.

"All here?" the Scoutmaster asked. "Care to start now?"

The patrol leaders jumped to line up their patrols.

The treasure-hunting teams were treated as something precious on the way
out. Scouts took turns carrying their packs so as to have them fresh when
they entered the woods. Just as on their first trip, Tim wanted to leap
and run. But he knew that would be folly. Besides, Mr. Wall held them
down to a steady, even pace that ate up distance but did not tire.

In the general excitement the miles slipped away unnoticed. All at once
the woods were ahead. Mr. Wall halted the column and called the teams.

"I want you to compare your watches with mine." The Scoutmaster's
timepiece said ten minutes of three. Don and the others set their
watches.

"At 3:30," Mr. Wall continued, "each team will enter the woods. Some
place near where it enters it will find the first blaze. At 3:30. Is that
clear?"

They said it was. He led them to a point a quarter of a mile on.

"Here's where the Wolves go in. Foxes and Eagles, follow me."

The other patrols went on, nervous, high-strung. The Wolves were left
alone.

Tim tried to stretch off on the ground and lie there quietly. With his
head pillowed on his arm he could see the group that followed Mr. Wall.
On they went, on, on--and then a turn hid them. Everything from now on
would be mysterious, unknown.

Lying there quietly became impossible. He jumped to his feet and walked
up and down. Every few minutes he looked at his watch. Ten after,
fifteen, twenty.

"Better get on our haversacks," said Don.

They waited. Twenty-five after. Tim felt the throb of his pulse.

"Another minute," said Ritter.

Don stood with his watch in his hand. All at once he put it away.

"Three-thirty, Tim." They walked toward the woods.

The patrol followed them to the edge and stopped. There were cries of
good luck. They waved their hands and stepped among the trees. Twice they
looked back; the first time the scouts were visible, the second time
they were gone. The cries of good luck grew fainter and ceased. They were
alone.

"There's one of two things to do," said Don, in a voice that trembled
with excitement. "We do not know whether our trail crosses the others. We
must either go cauti