good dad does when he plies the stick and says it hurts him worse than it
does the bad kid," declared Bobolink; at which there was a roar.

On the following day there was more or less skirmishing about town by
various eager lads, seeking recruits for the rival troops.

Paul was as busy as a beaver, and at several points conferred with some
of his followers. He had sent for more manuals, besides a price list of
uniforms, and other equipments necessary to the complete organization of
the Fox Patrol and Stanhope Troop No. 1.

Leading citizens began to take an interest in the movement, as they
grew to understand its true significance. Stanhope seemed to be fairly
sizzling with a new and novel energy. Even the meeting of the Women's
Club that afternoon was given up partly to a discussion of the merits of
the Boy Scout wave then sweeping over the land; and ladies who had been
decidedly averse to such a thing found their eyes opened to its
beneficial accompaniments.

As was to be expected, the recruiting was not confined to Paul and his
chums. Ted Slavin and Ward Kenwood were just as vigorously employed; and
several times in the course of the day the rivals ran across each other
while engaged in thus drumming up new subjects for initiation.

On such occasions there was apt to be something in the way of verbal
fireworks passing between the opposing scouts. Ted Slavin seldom knew how
to bridle that tongue of his; and Ward Kenwood seemed to be in a nasty
humor himself.

To tell the truth there had long been a sort of rivalry between Paul and