d chance to look scouts over
again as this here one," he presently said, half to himself. "I've
been reading a hull lot lately 'bout the doin's of the boys. Got three
lads o' my own yet," and there he was seen to swallow something that
seemed almost to choke him.

"Then for their sake you ought to be interested in this great movement,
Mr. Brush," said the scout master; "I remember a bright boy of yours
who was very much interested in the little surveying work I did for you
that day. He helped me some, and said he thought he'd like to be a
civil engineer when he grew up. If he joined the scouts that desire
might be encouraged, sir, I assure you."

"Oh, they been pesterin' the life outen me to let 'em jine, but I ain't
had no faith in the thing," Mr. Brush went on to say, with a stubborn
shake of the head.

He had by this time tied up his dog, and was accepting a seat on the
log close to the obliging scout master. The boys were satisfied to let
Mr. Witherspoon do the most of the talking. They could see that he
meant to open the eyes of this unbeliever, and show him a few things
that he ought to know.

"Just why did you frown on the scout movement, may I ask, sir?" Mr.
Witherspoon continued, quietly.

"Well, in the fust place I don't calc'late that my boys be brought up
to be food for gunpowder," replied the farmer.

"Then like a good many people you think Boy Scouts in this country are
intended to become a part of the military defences; is that it, Mr.
Brush?"

"Do you mean to tell me it ain't so, Mr. Witherspoon?" asked the
farmer.

"Nothing is further from the truth than that, as I'll prove to you in a
dozen ways, if you care to listen," the scout master told him.

"Fire away, then," said the farmer. "I'm not hide-bound ye know, and
allers open to conviction; so tell me why I orter let my three boys
jine the scouts."

Mr. Witherspoon started in and explained the fundamental principles
upon which the new movement was organized. He soon convinced the farmer
that there was not the slightest intention on the part of those having
the matter in hand to incorporate the scouts into a National Defence
Movement.

"Was that the only objection you had, Mr. Brush?" he asked when the
farmer frankly admitted that he had been wrong in his opinion.

"I reckoned that these boys only got together and wore uniforms for a
big lark," was the reply to his question. "I ought to know what boys is
like, havin' had four of my own