"Oh, he didn't say anything; he never says much. But I think he likes
you, Hervey, and he'll be disappointed."

"You think he will?"

"You know, Hervey, Tom Slade never won his place by jumping from one
thing to another. The love of adventure and something new is good, but
responsibility to one's troop, to oneself, is more important. How will
your father feel about the bicycle he had looked forward to giving you?
You see, Hervey, you regarded the winning of the Eagle award as an
adventure, whereas the troop regarded it as a commission--a commission
entailing responsibility."

"I'm not so stuck on eagles," said Hervey, repeating Tom Slade's very
words. "There might be something better than the Eagle award, you can't
tell."

"Oh, Hervey, my boy, don't talk like that, and above all, don't let the
boys hear you talk like that. There's nothing better than to finish what
you begin--_nothing_. You know, Hervey, I understand you thoroughly.
You're a wizard for stunts, but you're weak on responsibility. Now
you've got some new stunt on your mind, and the troop doesn't count. Am
I right?"

Hervey did not answer.

"And now the chance has nearly passed. Tomorrow we all go to the college
regatta on the Hudson, the next day is camp clean-up and we've all got
to work, and the next night, awards. Even if you were to do the
unexpected now, I don't know whether we could get the matter through and