about the game."

"Right you are, Nuthin'. I only wanted to see how the land lay, and if
you took to the idea. I'm satisfied already that it's going to make a
hit, if we can get a few more fellows to join in with us," said Paul.

"I know one good recruit I can drum up--Tom Bates," spoke up Albert.

"And a good addition to the seven now here. That would make our first
patrol," echoed the leader, quickly.

"How about inviting some of the Slavin crowd to join us?" asked Bobolink.

"Well, perhaps we might pick a couple there; but I think you'll have to
be getting up early in the morning to manage it," replied Paul,
meaningly.

"What's that?" asked William.

"Just this. Ted Slavin has heard our plans. You know that he never likes
to see anybody else pull down the plums. What will he do right away,
fellows?"

"Go and see his shadow, Ward Kenwood, and get him to put up the money to
start the ball rolling. My word for it that inside of a week there'll be
two rival Boy Scout troops in little old Stanhope," remarked Jack
Stormways.

"Say, that would be great, if the other crowd only acted on the square,"
ventured William. "We could have all sorts of contests between us. But