himself that Hervey Willetts climbed a tree and in a daring manner saved
a bird and its nest from the ruthless assault of an eagle. That bird's
nest, with its little occupant, hangs now in the elm tree at the corner
of the pavilion." (Great applause.)

"Thus Hervey Willetts won the animal first aid badge without so much as
knowing it. (Applause.) He had won twenty-one merit badges and he did
not know it. (Great applause.) He was then and there an Eagle Scout and
he did not know it. (Deafening cheers.) But Tom Slade knew it and said
nothing----"

"Thomas the Silent," some irreverent voice called.

"So you see, my friends, it really made no difference whether our young
hero tracked an animal or not. He was an Eagle Scout. He could go no
higher. He had reached the pinnacle--no, not quite that. To his triumph
he must add the glory of a noble, unselfish deed. Never knowing that the
coveted honor was already his, he set out to win it by a tracking stunt
which would fulfill the third requirement to bring him the stalking
badge, and with it the Eagle award. He had said that nothing would stand
in his way, not even mountains. He had made this boast to Tom Slade.

"And that boast he failed to make good. Something _did_ stand in his
way. Not a mountain. Just a little tenderfoot scout. You have seen him
up here. Alfred McCord is his name. (Applause.)

"And when Hervey Willetts found this little scout hot upon the trail, he
forgot about the Eagle award, forgot about his near triumph, braved the
anger and disappointment of his friends and comrades----"