Or there is the Army, with cavalry, infantry, artillery, engineers, and other branches, in which you can wear the uniform of your country and do good work in every climate under the sun.
In either service a good and honourable career is open to you—for you have everything found for you, food, housing, clothing, and hospital, with good pay and the certainty of promotion and pension for the rest of your life if you make up your mind to serve loyally, steadily, and well. In such a career you have plenty of adventure and you are among good comrades and friends. And if you start early to save your pay, and not to throw it away as too many do, you can easily put by £25 a year in the bank.
[The instructor should similarly give advice on other trades and professions, especially those in the neighbourhood.]
PRACTICES IN SELF-IMPROVEMENT.
Market Gardening.—The patrol or troop can work an allotment or other garden and sell the produce for their fund.
For a Troop or a Number of Troops.—Offer a good prize for the best article made by a scout with materials which have not cost more than 2s. Entrance fee to competition 3d.
Have an exhibition of these, coupled with displays and scenes, etc., by the scouts, and take money at the doors.
At the end sell the articles by auction: the articles which fetch the highest prices win the prizes.
Instruction Classes in Esperanto, Bookkeeping, Mechanics, Electricity, and, especially, Shorthand.
Army Class.—At the Home Office School, Stoke Farm, boys are put through the same examination as in the Army Schools for promotion certificates. They thus know their classification should they then go into the Army.