The knight never waited for opportunity to come to him. He went out looking for it, and wore his armor in order that he might be ready for it when it came. There is a story of a Greek god who had only one lock of hair upon his forehead. The remainder of his head was shining bald. In order to get this ancient god's attention, it was necessary to grip him by his forelock, for when he had passed, nothing could check his speed. So it is with opportunity, and the hour of opportunity. A good scout is ready for both and always grips "time by the forelock."
Individuality
If the foregoing qualities enter into a scout's training, an individuality will be developed in him, which will make itself known and felt.
Every scout should read over the following list of scout virtues, and should strive at all times to keep them before him in his training, thus making them a part of his life:
| Unselfishness: | The art of thinking of others first and one's self afterward. |
| Self Sacrifice: | The giving up of one's comfort, desires, and pleasures for the benefit of some one else. |
| Kindness: | The habit of thinking well of others and doing good to them. |
| Friendliness: | The disposition to make everyone you meet feel at ease, and to be of service to him if possible. |
| Honesty: | The desire to give to every one a square deal and the same fair chance that you yourself wish to enjoy. It means also respect for the property and rights of others, the ability to face the truth, and to call your own faults by their right name. |
| Fair Play: | Scorning to take unfair advantage of a rival and readiness even to give up an advantage to him. |
| Loyalty: | The quality of remaining true and faithful not only to your principles but also to your parents and friends. |
| Obedience: | Compliance with the wishes of parents or those in places of authority. |
| Discipline: | That self-restraint and self-control that keep a boy steady, and help him in team work. |
| Endurance: | A manly moderation which keeps a boy fit and strong and in good condition. {248} |
| Self Improvement: | The ambition to get on in life by all fair means. |
| Humility: | That fine quality which keeps a scout from boasting, and which generally reveals a boy of courage and achievement. |
| Honor: | That great thing which is more sacred than anything else to scouts and gentlemen; the disdain of telling or implying an untruth; absolute trustworthiness and faithfulness. |
| Duty to God: | That greatest of all things, which keeps a boy faithful to his principles and true to his friends and comrades; that gives him a belief in things that are high and noble, and which makes him prove his belief by doing his good turn to some one every day. |
This list of virtues a scout must have, and if there are any that standout more prominently than the others, they are the following:
Scout protecting child from mad dog
Courage
It is horrible to be a coward. It is weak to yield to fear and heroic to face danger without flinching. The old Indian who had been mortally wounded faced death with a grim smile on his lips and sang his own death song. The soldier of the {249} Roman legions laughed in the face of death, and died often with a "Hail, Imperator!" for the Roman Caesar upon his lips.