ile on the latter's face.

"Well, Dale," began Mr. Curtis, cheerily, "I've been puzzling my brains
over that problem of yours ever since Monday night, and yesterday the
answer was fairly thrust on me."

The boy pricked up his ears doubtfully. "What is it, sir?" he asked
quickly.

"Bird-houses. You're our prize carpenter, and I know you made a number of
them in the spring. Now--"

"Bird-houses!" interrupted the boy, incredulously. "Bird-houses at the
end of June! Why, who--I'll bet you're making--"

He broke off abruptly, biting his lips. Mr. Curtis did not seem offended.
In fact, he merely chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

"No, it's not that," he said quickly. "I've nothing at all to do with
it. I had an inquiry this morning from some one who--a--probably knows
it's a scout specialty for a quotation on a number of rather elaborate
houses that are wanted at once. There's the list."

Dazedly Dale took the paper and stared at it. It was a type-written
list describing, with some detail, the eight bird-houses desired. Two
of them, for martin colonies, called for something large and rather
elaborate. All were distinctly of a more expensive class than was usually
in demand. Even without figuring, he could see that his time alone,
were it possible to finish the work inside of two weeks, would be worth
over ten dollars. In spite of his doubts, his eyes brightened as he
looked up at the scoutmaster.

"It's a corking order!" he exclaimed. "It would put me all to the good.
But I can't understand why anybody would want bird-houses after the birds
have all nested for the season. Who are they for, sir?"

"That I can't tell you," returned Mr. Curtis. "Now don't go off at
half-cock," he added quickly, as Dale's lips parted impulsively. "I've
told you I had nothing to do with it in any way. The inquiry this morning
was as much of a surprise to me as it is to you, but just because the
person doesn't wish to be known is no reason why you should balk at
the offer. There may be any number of reasons. At least there's no touch
of charity about it. You'll be giving full value received, won't you?
And you certainly build better houses than any other boy in the troop."

For a second Dale hesitated, torn between a last lingering doubt and a
natural eagerness to snatch at this wonderful opportunity. "You mean
you--advise me to accept?" he asked slowly.

"I do. I see no reason why you shouldn't treat it as a regular business
propos