p in Beechwood Forest than at any time since she could remember.

"There is something to be considered in this situation beside Kara,"
she began, with a kind of awkward earnestness. The statement had not a
happy sound, but the other girls waited, knowing that Louise had an
odd fashion of expressing herself. One could not at first be
altogether sure of her meaning.

"We must remember that it is not for Kara's sake only that we are to
keep her here, if Dr. McClain agrees it will be wise, but for our own
sakes as well. While Tory has been talking I have been wondering if we
were equal, as Girl Scouts, to the test.

"You look surprised, Tory, as if there could be no question save the
joy of having Kara to take care of and her pleasure in being with us.
There will be other sides to it. Some one of us will always have to
stay with Kara day and night. She must never be left alone for any
length of time, when we may be wanting to go off together on a hike or
a swimming party. It may be hard now and then to be left out. We must
not expect Kara always to be cheerful and patient."

Louise had been looking toward Tory Drew. She now turned her head and
her glance traveled from one face to the other.

The group of girls, except for a few additional ones, was the same
that had gathered in the old Fenton home in Westhaven on a momentous
evening the winter before.

On that evening they had formed the first Patrol of the Girl Scouts of
the Eagle's Wing Troop. Margaret Hale remained the Patrol Leader and
Dorothy McClain her Corporal. The other girls were Victoria Drew, Joan
Peters, Louise Miller, Teresa Peterson and Katherine Moore. Edith
Linder had been asked later to become the eighth member and so
complete the favored number.

To-day, amid the outdoor council in the woods, there were four girls
from a second Patrol in the same Girl Scout Troop.

"Honor, loyalty, duty, a sister to every other Girl Scout, courtesy,
cheerfulness. These are some of our Scout principles. I wonder if
bringing Katherine Moore here as an invalid to be cared for by us
would not put our Scout principles into a crucible?" one of the four
remarked unexpectedly.

Tory Drew frowned upon her, and then realizing the truth of what she
had said, her expression changed and she nodded agreement.

Why should she expect that all the other girls must appreciate as she
did the degree of Kara's misfortune and the necessity to do something
to make her lot easier wit