The troop of which Hervey was a member arose in a sudden, impetuous
burst of cheering, but Mr. Temple cut them short.

"Just a moment and then you may have your way. Hervey Willetts cared no
more about the opinion of you scouts than this big oak tree over my head
cares about the summer breeze. There were two trails there, one visible,
the other invisible. One on the ground, the other in his heart. And
Hervey Willetts was a scout and he hit the right trail. If it were not
for our young assistant camp manager here, Hervey Willetts would this
minute be witnessing these festivities from yonder tree, and little
would he have cared, I think.

"But he reckoned without his host, as they say, when he sought the aid
of Tom Slade. (Deafening applause.) Tom Slade knew him even if he did
not know himself.

"My friends, many scouts have sought the Eagle award and a few have won
it. But the Eagle award now seeks Hervey Willetts. He threw it aside but
still it comes to him and asks for acceptance. He deserves something
better, but there is nothing better which we have to give. For there is
no badge for a noble good turn. Tom Slade was right."

"You said something!" some one shouted.

"To be enough of a scout to win the Eagle award is much. To be scout
enough to ignore it is more. But twenty-one badges is twenty-one badges,
and the animal first aid badge is as good as any other. The technical
question of whether a bird is an animal----"

"Sure a bird's an animal!" called a voice from a far corner which