"He has the courage to face danger in spite of fear ... and defeat does
not down him." Next he read the fourth law, "He is a friend to all and a
brother to every other scout." And then he closed the book and for a long
time stared straight ahead.

Friday brought a busy day--bird-houses all morning, baseball practice in
the afternoon, and a troop meeting at night.

During the morning, as Don planed, and sawed, and hammered, he whistled a
gay air. But after dinner, as the time for baseball practice approached,
the whistle became subdued and at last stopped.

Up to now he had pitched against high-school boys, lads of his own age.
Tomorrow, though, he was to face a town team with its older, more
experienced players. He wondered if he would be able to make good. And he
wondered, just a little, how he and Tim would work together.

He might have saved himself the worry of wondering about Tim, for that
afternoon's practice gave no time for anything save work. Ted Carter
drove the players with a high-strung, nervous vim. He seemed to find
time for everything--first a signal drill, then fielding, then sliding
into bases.

Don was kept on the jump. As soon as his arm was warm and limber Ted
hustled him to the mound, and for fifteen minutes he stood there and
threw to bases as signals were flashed to him. Then Ted gave him ten
minutes of fielding bunts. By that time the sweat was running down his
face and his breath was coming hard.

"Get into a sweater," Ted ordered. "I'll want you back here in ten