"Well, we shall think it over," the parson replied, "and let you know
later."

That afternoon Mrs. Royal told Rod that he could go to the city. It
might do him good, so she said, to hear such a famous singer. She knew
that she could trust him to behave himself, no matter where he was.

Rod was delighted, and hurried over at once to inform the rest of the
scouts, who were already gathered at Headquarters. In the paper which
came that day from the city there was a long piece about Anna Royanna,
and Parson Dan read it aloud that evening. It told how this wonderful
singer had sprung suddenly into fame during the last year. She had
been singing before but had attracted little attention until one night
a noted foreign singer heard her voice at a party given in a private
house. It was through him that such success had come to her.

Rod and Phil were fortunate in obtaining seats in the Opera House, the
only two which were left. As they looked around upon the crowded place
they were for a time somewhat bewildered. They were not accustomed to
seeing so many people together, and they felt very small and
insignificant. Several people watched with interest the two boys who
stared at everything and everybody in such undisguised wonder. But Rod
and Phil did not care. They wanted to see and hear Miss Royanna and it
did not matter to them what people thought.

The curtain at last slowly rose, and a deep hush passed throughout the
building. Then a woman moved quietly to the centre of the stage. Rod
sat bolt upright when he saw her. He paid no attention to the storm of
applause which greeted her appearance. He saw her bend her head