else for
several days, but the first "regimental" notification, as it were, was
to be made now.

The first duty to be performed was the calling of the roll after
"assembly" had been sounded--somewhat quaveringly--by little Andy
Bowles, the company bugler.

Beside Rob Merritt, Tubby and Andy, there were Hiram Nelson, a tall,
lanky youth, whose hands were stained with much fussing with chemicals,
for he was a wireless experimenter; Ernest Thompson, a big-eyed,
serious-looking lad, whose specialty in the little regiment was that of
bicycle scout, as the spoked wheel on his arm denoted; Simon Jeffords,
a second-class scout, but who, under Rob's tutelage, was becoming the
expert "wig-wagger" of the organization; Paul Perkins, another
second-class boy, but a hard worker and a devotee of aeronautics;
Martin Green, one of the smallest of the Eagle Patrol, a tenderfoot;
Walter Lonsdale, also a recruit, and Joe Digby, who, as the last to
join the Patrol, was the tenderest of the tenderfeet.

Rob's announcement of the program for the eight days they were to spend
on the island was greeted with cheers. The news that turns were to be
taken by two scouts daily at washing dishes and cooking did not awaken
quite so much enthusiasm. Everybody cheered up again, however, when
Rob announced that the Flying Fish would be at the disposal of the boys
of the patrol.

Corporal Merritt took Rob's place as orator then, and announced that
each boy would be assessed one dollar for the expenses of the camp, the
remainder of the money necessary for the providing of tents and the
provisioning of the camp having been donated by Rob's father, Mr.
Wingate, of the yacht club, and the other representative citizens of
Hampton who composed the local scout council.

Further excitement was caused by the announcement that following the
camp the local committee would pass upon the applications for
promotions and honors for the lads of the Patrol, and that it was
likely that another patrol would be formed in the village, as several
boys had expressed themselves as anxious to form one. The gentlemen
having charge of the local scout movement, however, had decided that it
would be wiser to wait and see the result of one patrol's training
before forming a second one.

"I'm going to try for an aviator's badge," announced Paul Perkins, as
Rob declared the official business at an end.

"Say, Rob, what's the matter with our fixing up a wireless in the camp?