ut them. I suggest, therefore, that you take the boat along
with you. It belonged to my son and it has been where it now lies ever
since the storm in which his life was lost. I have not seen the inside
of it since--I do not want to see the inside of it," he added brusquely,
moving a paperweight about on his desk. "It is only three years old," he
went on after a moment's uncomfortable pause, "and like some people it
is not as bad as it looks."

The boys winced a little at this thrust. Mr. Stanton was silent for a
few moments and Pee-wee was tempted to ask him something about his son,
but did not quite dare to venture.

"I think the boat can very easily be removed to the river with a little
of the ingenuity which you scouts seem to have, and you may continue
your journey in her, if you care to. You may consider it a--a present
from my daughter, whom you made so happy yesterday."

For a moment the boys hardly realized the meaning of his words. Then Tom
spoke.

"We have a rule, Mr. Stanton, that a scout cannot accept anything for a
service. If he does, it spoils it all. It's great, your offering us the
boat and it seems silly not to take it, but----"

"Very well," said Mr. Stanton, proceeding to open his letters, "if you
prefer to go to jail for destroying my stanchions, very well. Remember
you are dealing with a lawyer." Roy fancied he was chuckling a little
inwardly.

"That's right," said Pee-wee in Tom's ear. "There's no use trying to get
the best of a lawyer--a scout ought to be--to be modest; we better take
it, Tom."

"There's a difference between payment for a service and a token of
gratitude," said Mr. Stanton, looking at Tom. "But we will waive all
that. I cannot allow the Boy Scouts to be laying down the law for me. By
your own confession you have destroyed my stanchions and as a citizen it
is my duty to take action. But if I were to give you a paper dated
yesterday, assigning the boat to you, then it would appear that you had
simply trespassed and burglariously entered your own property and
destroyed your own stanchions and I would not have a leg to stand upon.
My advice to you as a lawyer is to accept such a transfer of title and
avoid trouble."

He began ostentatiously to read one of his letters.

"He's right, Tom," whispered Pee-wee, "It's what you call a teckinality.
Gee, we better take the boat. There's no use trying to beat a lawyer.
He's got the right on his side."

"I don't know," said Tom, do