d--spirit, mind, and body.

Chuck seated himself. "No, Dennis, not always getting a new member, but
I'll tell you one thing, I always do have an eye open for a first-class
fellow for our bunch. You know as well as I do that if we are going to
keep things right, here in our old Y.M., and give the 'Chief' the help he
needs, we'll have to keep adding every strong, clean, congenial fellow we
can lay our hands on. You don't need to worry about our getting too many.
O.F.F. has been doing stunts for two years now, and in that time we have
just taken in five new men. We have room for at least three more. I know
sometimes I make a mistake, but I'll bet my hat on this fellow. He's no
ordinary kid, I'll tell you that. I saw him in the swimming tank with his
uncle, Mr. Williams, yesterday, and a cleaner-cut, better-built fellow
you never saw. Swim like a fish, and dive--why, there's nothing to it. If
he takes a membership in this Department he'll be in the Leaders' Corps
in less than a jiffy, and, what's more, he'll be a leader in everything
else, too, when he gets acquainted."

"Well, I'll tell you," said "Shorty" Wier, who had thus far kept silent,
"Let's all look him over and get better acquainted with him Wednesday
night on the hike. The 'Chief' told me he had invited him to go along
with the bunch."

"What's the bunch going to do on Wednesday night?" inquired "Sleepy"
Smith, who was always preoccupied when anything of real importance was
going on.

"Why, you ought to wake up occasionally and you wouldn't be so far behind
the times," replied Chuck, rather dryly. "The class is going to Sweet
Potato Gulch for a business meeting and wiener-bake. Be sure to be on
hand, every man of you."

"O well, I don't like wieners, anyway," replied Smith, and he returned to
his own thoughts.

* * * * *

Wednesday night was perfect--not a cloud in the sky, and a great
half-moon to help them find their way. There was a spring breeze in the
air, the kind that makes a great wood-fire of dry logs and pine needles
about the most attractive thing on earth to a crowd of young savages. Far
away to the westward Pike's Peak's hoary head was lifted into the sky,
dimly lighted by the yellow rays of the moon. There was a faint odor of
spring in the air, while the little mountain stream had not as yet given
up its icy prattle. Little patches of snow still dotted the sides of the
canyon, and here and there a crystal icicl