Turk, wielding an ordinary knife
and fork, and with his pannikin on his lap, actually doing without a
napkin, and enjoying it in the bargain.

Mr. Witherspoon had the seat of honor, for the boys insisted that he
should occupy the highest place on the log that had been rolled near
the fires. He observed all that went on with satisfaction. Boys were
close to his heart, and he never tired of his hobby of studying them.
It was a constant source of delight to the scout master to listen to
them chatter, and he noticed that a perceptible change was taking place
in some of his charges since first joining the troop.

Finally when every youth admitted that he had had all he could eat,
Mr. Witherspoon got up.

"Now it's full time we started our _real_ campfire," he announced.
"That was why I had you gather such a big heap of wood. Here's the
right place for the blaze, as we must be careful not to scorch any of
the trees, the branches of which hang down over us, because this
property belongs to some one, and we must respect his rights."

He had no trouble about finding willing workers, because every one
acted as if anxious to have a hand in the building of that first
campfire, to be recorded in the annals of Lenox Troop as an event of
unusual importance.

When finally the pyramid had been carefully built the scout master was
asked to apply the match.

"Unfortunately I do not know the customary procedure on such momentous
occasions," he told the boys, as they formed a circle around the pile;
"and all I can say is that with this match I am about to dedicate this
fire to the useful purpose of bringing all our hearts in tune with our
surroundings. For to-night then, we will try to believe ourselves real
vagabonds, or children of the forest, sitting around the sanctuary at
which every camper worships--the crackling fire!"

Then the blaze began to seize hold of the wood, and amidst the cheers
of the enthusiastic scouts the fire got fully under way.

High leaped the red flames, so that presently there was a general
backward movement, on account of the heat. Had it been November instead
of June, they would doubtless have enjoyed the cheery warmth much more.

Each boy managed to pick out a comfortable place, and then the talk
began to grow general. Plans for the morrow and the succeeding days
were being discussed with much ardor.

It was while this was going on, and the scouts were all feeling most
happy that with but scant war