to leave
your face looking tanned. Men won't use cosmetics and junk, but if they
didn't have to admit it, they might like the shave lotion."

Hilary had been deep in thought. He said suddenly, "Gosh, I think I know
how to make a--what do you want to call it--a before-shave lotion."

"What would that be?" I asked.

"You'd use it before you shaved."

"I suppose there might be people who'd prefer to use it beforehand," I
conceded.

"There will be people," he said darkly, and subsided.

Mrs. Miller came out to the barn after a while, bringing a bucket of
soft drinks and ice, a couple of loaves of bread and ingredients for a
variety of sandwiches. The parents had agreed to underwrite lunches at
the barn and Betty Miller philosophically assumed the role of
commissary officer. She paused only to say hello and to ask how we were
progressing with our organization meeting.

I'd forgotten all about organization, and that, according to all the
articles I had perused, is most important to such groups. It's standard
practice for every member of the group to be a company officer. Of
course a young boy who doesn't know any better, may wind up a sales
manager.

Over the sandwiches, then, I suggested nominating company officers, but
they seemed not to be interested. Peter Cope waved it off by remarking
that they'd each do what came naturally. On the other hand, they
pondered at some length about a name for the organization, without
reaching any conclusions, so we returned to the problem of what to make.

It was Mary, finally, who advanced the thought of kites. At first there
was little enthusiasm, then Peter said, "You know, we could work up
something new. Has anybody ever seen a kite made like a wind sock?"

Nobody had. Pete drew figures in the air with his hands. "How about the
hole at the small end?"

"I'll make one tonight," said Doris, "and think about the small end.
It'll work out all right."

I wished that the youngsters weren't starting out by inventing a new
article to manufacture, and risking an almost certain disappointment,
but to hold my guidance to the minimum, I said nothing, knowing that
later I could help them redesign it along standard lines.

* * * * *

At supper I reviewed the day's happenings with Marjorie and tried to
recall all of the ideas which had been propounded. Most of them were
impractical, of course, for a group of children to attempt, but several
of them ap