Buck went on the way returning to his work in the lumber yard, while Ted waited until it was time to go downtown to see the lawyer. Promptly at the appointed hour he reported at the office of Mr. Calvert and after his name had been sent in, he was admitted to the presence of the man.
Ted had seen Mr. Calvert before but he was not personally acquainted with him. The lawyer was a fine, upstanding man, a power in the little community, and a great lover of boys and their activities. Ted was a little surprised when the handsome, middle-aged lawyer got up from his deep leather chair and smilingly shook hands with him.
“How do you do, Thorn!” he asked, giving Ted a hearty pressure of the hand. “I’m glad you found the opportunity to drop in and visit me. I suppose you have no idea why I sent for you!”
“None at all, sir,” Ted confessed.
“Take a seat,” the lawyer directed, and when Ted had seated himself opposite him the man went straight to the point.
“Thorn, you know that I am president of the Boys’ Club of this town, an organization of young fellows numbering about twenty young fellows, all pretty wide-awake boys who are banding their activities together and learning some pretty useful things in life. These boys are younger than you are and that is the reason that you and some of your particular friends have never been asked to join. Well, the time has come when these boys are asking for a regular summer camping trip, and the officers of the club have agreed that the boys shall have a month of camping life this year, under the direction of the club. We want some one trustworthy to take these boys off on a camping trip and take care of them, and we feel that we couldn’t get a better leader than you.”
Ted’s face flushed with pleasure but he hesitated, questions surging in his mind. “That’s a very kind thought, Mr. Calvert,” he said. “But don’t you think I am a little young?”
“No, I don’t, and besides, you’d have help. We know that you travel constantly in the company of Buckley Dalton and if you accept the post, we want your comrade to go with you. Between the two of you, you’d have no trouble in handling the boys. You speak of being young. Well, we wouldn’t consider anyone as young as you are unless he was the power among younger fellows that you are. For the past two years you have been quarterback on the academy team, and the boys in the club have looked at you with eyes of worship! Your clean playing, your clear head work on the field, has captured their imagination so that they will hop with joy when they are told that you will lead the camping trip. We propose to pay you and Buck a small salary for your work. How about it, Thorn?”
“On one condition,” said Ted, instantly.
“What is that?” Calvert asked.