wonderfully proficient; Alec gave the leader a pretty
good race in nearly every line of scout activity, while Billy,---well,
to be frank, Billy's strong points might be set down as an everlasting
fund of cheery good-nature, and a remarkable capacity for stowing away
"grub."

Apparently the boys were out on some sort of fall hike. Each had
burdened himself not only with a pack but a blanket as well, the latter
secured, after the usual military habit, across one shoulder.

Each fellow also depended on a stout staff that, in a way, answered
for an Alpine stock, should they have to climb any hills. Besides, it
was handy as a weapon of defense in case they were attacked by a
vicious dog.

"Well, the time limit you set has come, Alec," Hugh was saying after
they had stretched themselves along the convenient log.

"Yes," burst out Billy, eagerly, "you promised to tell us all what
you confided to Hugh before he agreed to get up this little weekend
hike. I'm burning with curiosity to know what's in the wind."

"We've taken a leap in the dark, you see," added Arthur, "because
when Hugh said it would be well worth our while we just trusted him.
Now, open up, Alec, and relieve our suspense. You said the next time
we stopped you'd begin to explain all this dark mystery."

"Me, too," exclaimed the Stallings boy, who was always turning his
restless eyes upward, as though seeking some enticing branch where he
could exercise his favorite antics.

Alec Sands laughed softly.

"I'm ready to tell my little story, boys," he remarked. "It isn't such
a wonderful one, after all, but Hugh agreed with me that it might give
some of us an excuse for coming up this way. And my aunt had supplied
all the necessary funds covering our railroad fare from Oakvale to the
little station where we jumped off the local train---Scarsdale."

"Which aunt, Alec?" demanded Billy, whom it was always difficult to
suppress.

"Oh! none of you ever met _this_ relative of mine, I guess," considered
Alec. "Aunt Susan is a very rich woman, and what you might call
eccentric if you wanted to be particularly nice, and not use a harsher
word. In fact, her nerves have gone back on her, and every little
noise about sets her _wild_. She has taken a notion that the only
salvation for her is to find some sort of a quiet country home in
which her servants can glide around in felt slippers, with never a
rooster's crow to disturb the dead silence."

"Whew! you m