On the following day he sent off the letter containing a check which his
father gave him in place of the money, so that it might not be lost.

Then followed a period of anxious waiting, during which many of the
members of the Stanhope Troop No. 1 felt touches of envy at sight of
their rivals parading the streets, decked out in the full regalia of
Scouts, and carrying themselves with the proudest of airs.

They knew that Ted and Ward were busily engaged in drilling their
followers in many of the devices prominently mentioned in the manual
book. For that matter, though, it did not require regulation suits of
khaki to excel in those same things; and so the Foxes also studied and
experimented, and burned candles at night in the endeavor to learn all
that was possible of those various accomplishments.

There was a great difference in the boys of the town.

Few who were of the proper age but who belonged to one or the other of
the troops; and people were beginning to notice how much more manly they
carried themselves, and how anxious they seemed now to get credit marks
at home.

Parents upon meeting never failed to talk about this wonderful change,
and express hopes that it would last.

"The best thing that ever happened, barring none, I think," was what the
old minister declared, at a meeting of the Women's Club; "and it deserves
to be encouraged. Why, you ladies should take advantage of this wave of
reform, to get these lads interested in keeping the streets of the town