s the other boys moderated their voices as they proceeded to
get an early breakfast ready, though in no hurry to leave that pleasant
Camp Content.

Of course both the laggards were up and ready by the time the call to
breakfast was heard in the land. It may be that the smell of the eggs
and bacon frying and the aromatic coffee's bubbling had much to do with
arousing them.

While they were eating who should appear but the hired man of Farmer
Brush. He had a big basket on his arm, also a note for the scout
master.

"I have to go to town early this morning or I'd fetch these few
things myself," the note ran; "I want you to accept them from me
with my compliments, and my hearty thanks for your entertainment
last night. I have hardly slept a wink thinking about what you
told me; and next meeting me and my boys will be on hand.

"EZRA BRUSH.

"P.S. The chickens my wife sends you, and she says they are
tender enough to fry."

Besides the four chickens, all ready for cooking, there was a fine
print of new butter, as well as a carton of several dozen eggs fresh
from the coop.

"Three cheers for Mr. Brush, fellows!" cried Tom, after the scout
master had read the note aloud; and they were given with a will, much
to the entertainment of Bill, who stood there and grinned broadly.

It was about eight o'clock when the column started once more. They
meant to leave the main road they had been following up to this time,
for it did not run in the direction they wanted to go.

There was another smaller one which they expected to follow, for that
day at least, and which skirted the base of the mountain, even
ascending it in several places, as their map showed.

"It will be our last day on any sort of road, if we follow out the
programme as arranged," Tom Chesney explained, as they sat around at
noon munching the "snack" each scout had been commissioned to prepare
at breakfast time against his being hungry in the middle of the day,
when they would not care to start a fire in order to do any cooking.

"You mean we expect to push right up the mountain and begin exploring
the country, don't you, Tom?" asked Josh between bites.

"Yes, and three of the fellows intend to make maps as we go, for
practice," the leader of the Black Bear Patrol explained.

"All I hope is," commented Billy Button, anxiously, "that we don't
manage to get lost. I've got a very important engagement a week from
Friday that I