“Huh! guess Alec isn’t much on reading character, then, if he thinks Hugh Hardin would get weak-kneed for a little thing like that. And every one of the Wolves are made of the stuff that fights harder than ever when they see that they’re up against a tough job. But anyway, you’ve made me feel better, Hugh. Someway I always do seem to look at things in a different light when you are around.”
“How are you fellows fixed for meeting Arthur and myself at one o’clock to-day?” the other calmly asked, though it must have given him a flash of pleasure to hear Billy’s remark.
“Does that mean we’re going for another hike to-day?” asked Bud. “I’m on deck, you may be sure; only I hope we won’t run across another storm like that one yesterday. It was the worst I ever struck.”
“No danger of that, with this fine bracing air and that cloudless sky,” Hugh replied. “Arthur is wild to get pictures of those places where we met our adventure yesterday; and I have a few tests connected with cliff climbing that I’d like to put through while up there in that rough country. Can you go, Billy?”
“Count on my being there at one, prompt, Chief,” came the immediate reply. “You know I’m never half so happy as when out in the woods. We might have another lesson in that Injun picture writing while we’re at it, Hugh. Never thought I could be so wrapped up in anything as that study’s turned out for me.”
“If we have time we will,” said Hugh. “By the way, I notice that neither of you scouts have turned your badges yet for to-day. Arthur was telling me over the ’phone of a nice little stunt he’d pulled off that let him make the change; and while he’s out a drink of soda water, he’s in a whole bushel of good feeling in his heart. No, I won’t tell you how it was; you must ask him that. And I’ve got to be off now, as my folks will be wanting what I came downtown after. Better get busy, Billy, and you too, Bud. The sooner it’s done, the quicker your mind will be free for the whole day.”
“Oh! I’ve got that all down fine,” laughed Billy. “All this week I’ve agreed to help our old gardener weed his onion bed, working half an hour a day, because he gets such a stiff back bending over, you know. And I’ll move along home to do my stunt right away.”
“And as for me,” added Bud, “I think I know how I can surprise my mother by doing a number of things to lighten her work this morning. You’ll see me wearing this old badge right-side up when I get to the church at one!”
It was odd how many opportunities came to these scouts, alertly watching for chances, to live up to that law of their organization that required a daily good deed. And, regarding their acts in the light of duty, they reported them to one another quite without boastfulness. Each scout felt it a reflection upon himself if he were long seen wearing his badge upside-down, the position in which he was obliged to place it at the beginning of the day. And as his own judgment decided when he might conscientiously reverse the badge, he was careful to merit the privilege.