CHAPTER XIII
TED IS CHOSEN FOR A MISSION
IT was a notable array of gentlemen and ladies who inspected the six corps of Scouts after the military drills were over. As they passed up and down the lines the Scouts, who stood at attention, eyes ahead, heard the expressed admiration and every one of them was proud and glad.
Later on Colonel Graham made a short speech.
“Scouts,” he said, “you are the future manhood of your country. Big things may come for you to do. I am proud of Wayland and the boys in it, and I want to say to you all, as man to man, that come such time as may, and there are clouds now in the sky, Canada, I know, will have reason to be proud of you.
“May I add another word? I have heard that opportunity has been given to one of you to be of service. I know that none of you would have failed, had the opportunity come. Each of you would have welcomed it. But opportunity, Scouts, hardly ever comes; it is everywhere, all about you, ready for you to grasp. It is the quick-witted man or woman, boy or girl, who sees it. Theodore Marsh, his wits ready, saw one thing, then another thing, and made one and one two. Great praise I have for him. I know, too, that all of you must also be proud of him. I thank you.”
There was the call, and the Scouts broke up. Excited words could be heard everywhere and many good-natured comments were fired at Ted, who stood aside modestly, even bashfully.
A little later, luncheon having been served, the men guests retired to the office of the dean. It was plain to almost all of the boys that the conference, now to be held, was the main purpose of their meeting at the school.
Mrs. Dean and Ted went off for a walk. Ted welcomed the opportunity, for he wanted to talk of his mother and his sister.
“Well, Ted, when did you write last?” asked Mrs. Dean. She seemed to feel and sense the fact that Ted would want to talk about his family and so made it very easy for him.
“I write twice a week, Mrs. Dean. I hear from them about that often, sometime from Helen, sometime from mother. They say they miss me, but no more than I miss them, I’ll bet.”