this rainbow troop with wistful glances. Then the scoutmaster took his
chagrined followers to their bare cabins, stripped of all that had made
them comfortable and homelike in their long stay at camp. Hervey was not
among them. No one in all the camp knew how he had suffered from
homesickness in those two days. He wanted to be home--home with his
mother and father.

To his disappointed troop Mr. Warren said:

Scouts, we have not won the coveted award. But in this fraternal
community, every award is an honor to every scout. We will try to
find pride in the achievements of our friends and camp comrades. Our
mistake was in selecting for our standard bearer one whose
temperament disqualified him for the particular mission which he
undertook. No shortcoming of cowardice is his, at all events, and I
blame myself that I did not suggest one of you older boys.

If we have not won the distinction we set our hearts on, our stay
here has been pleasant and our achievement creditable, and for my
part I give three cheers for the scouts who are to be honored and
for the fortunate troops who will share their honors.

This good attempt to revive the spirits of his disappointed troop was
followed by three feeble cheers, which ought to have gone on crutches,
they were so weak.

Hervey was not in evidence throughout the day, and since no news is good
news, one or two unquenchable spirits in his troop continued to hope
that he would put in a dramatic appearance just in the nick of time,
with the report of a sensational discovery--the tracks of a bear or a