eady to do his share
of talking if given half a chance, "our chum here, Tom Chesney, was
visiting his cousins over in Freeport, and got interested in their
scout troop. So we've taken the thing up, and expect to start the
ball rolling right away."

"It happens," Tom went on, "that there is a young man in town who once
served as scout master in a troop, and I've just had him promise to
come around to-night and tell us what we've got to do to get the
necessary charter from scout headquarters."

"You interest me very much, boys," said Mr. Henderson, his eyes
sparkling as he spoke. "I have read considerable about the wonderful
progress this new movement is making all over the land; and I want to
say that I like the principles it advocates. Boys have known too little
in the past of how to take care of themselves at all times, and also be
ready to lend a helping hand to others."

"The camping out, and finding all sorts of queer things in the woods
is what makes me want to join a troop!" said Josh; "because I always
did love to fish and hunt, and get off in the mountains away from
everybody."

"That's a good foundation to start on," remarked the hermit, with
kindling eyes, as he looked from one eager face to another; "but I
imagine that after you've been a scout for a short time your ideas
will begin to change considerably."

"How, sir?" asked Josh, looking unconvinced.

"Well," continued the old man, softly, "you'll find such enjoyment in
_observing_ the habits of all the little woods folks that by degrees
the fierce desire you have now to slay them will grow colder. In the
end most of you will consider it ten times better to sit and watch them
at their labors or play than to slaughter them in sport, or even to
kill them for food."

"But Mr. Henderson," said Josh, boldly, "I've heard that you trap
animals for their pelts; and I guess you must knock a few over when
you feel like having game for dinner, don't you?"

"Occasionally I go out and get a rabbit or a partridge, though not
often," admitted the old man; "and as for my trapping, I only try to
take such animals or vermin as are cruel in their nature and seem to
be a pest to the innocent things I'm so fond of having around me. I
wish you boys could visit my cabin some time or other, and make the
acquaintance of my innumerable pets. They look on me as their best
friend, and I would never dream of raising a hand to injure them.
Kindness to animals, I believe, is o