o life when it seemed next
to hopeless was what interested Allan most of all. He had seen more than
a few accidents while up in the woods of Maine, and knew of the very
rough means adopted by the native guides looking to resuscitating a
person who has been in the water until life seems extinct.

So he eagerly watched the way Thad placed the supposed patient on his
chest, and kneeling over him, started pressing down on his back while
others worked his arms with a regular motion; the whole endeavor being
to imitate breathing, and in this artificial way induce the muscles to
take on genuine respiration.

"That takes with me, I tell you," said Allan, eagerly. "I saw a man
drowned once, and I believe right now his life could have been saved if
only the guide had known the right way to go about it. I'll never forget
that lesson, Mr. Scout-Master, never."

"It's a splendid thing for any boy to know," said Thad, "and might save
a chum's life at any time. Because, boys are always falling into the
water, in summer while swimming, and in winter skating. I intend to
practice that every day we're here. It's one of those things you may
never want; but in case you do, you want it in a hurry."

"How about the fire building tests?" demanded Giraffe, eagerly.

"Yes, that's where Giraffe feels at home. Give him a chance to start a
blaze, and you'll make him happy," laughed Step-hen.

"You know you're as good as licked, before we begin," replied the other,
derisively.

"I'm going to start on that fun right away," returned Thad. "Some of you
may be thinking that we're spending entirely too much time with these
things; but all the same they go right along with all that a Boy Scout
has got to know. Pretty soon Cranford Troop will be getting its charter
from the organization headquarters, and I'd like to have a few merit
badges come along with it. That isn't all, either."

"I reckon I can give a pretty good guess what you mean by shaking your
wise old head that way, Thad, and looking sorter mysterious-like,"
declared Davy Jones; who seldom showed the proper amount of respect to
the acting scout-master, that by rights he should.

"Then tell us all about it, Davy; because we want to know," demanded
Step-hen.

"That's right, and we _must_ know; so start up the music, Davy," said
Giraffe.

"Why, there's been a whole lot of talk between Thad and Allan here about
the new Silver Fox Patrol taking a trip away from home. It's only a
quest