me go to the front," he went on. "It seemed hard to have to sit
back and read the newspapers when I knew I ought to be doing some
of the work. But then Grenfel told me about you boys, and what
you meant to do, and I felt better. I saw that there was a chance
for me to help, after all. So here I am. These are times when
ordinary routine doesn't matter so much you can understand that.
Grenfel put the troop at the disposal of the commander at Ealing.
And his first request was that I should send two scouts to him at
once. Franklin, I believe you are the senior patrol leader? Yes?
Then I shall appoint you assistant scoutmaster, as Mr. Greene has
not returned from his holiday in France. Will you suggest the
names of two scouts for this service?"

Franklin immediately went up to the new scoutmaster, and they
spoke together quietly, while a buzz of excited talk rose among
the scouts. Who would be honored by the first chance? Every scout
there wanted to hear his name called.

"I think they'll take me, for one," said Ernest Graves. He was
one of the patrol to which both Harry Fleming and Dick Mercer
belonged, and the biggest and oldest scout of the troop, except
for Leslie Franklin. He had felt for some time that he should be
a patrol leader. Although he excelled in games, and was
unquestionably a splendid scout, Graves was not popular, for some
reason, among his fellows. He was not exactly unpopular, either;
but there was a little resentment at his habit of pushing
himself forward.

"I don't see why you should go more than anyone else, Graves,"
said young Mercer. "I think they'd take the ones who are