Thus it will be seen that there were now twenty-six lads connected with
the wide awake Stanhope Troop, and more coming.

After the roll call, they proceeded to the regular business, with Paul
Morrison in the chair, he being the president of the association. It was
surprising how well many of these boyish meetings were conducted; Paul
and some of his comrades knew considerable about parliamentary law, and
long ago the hilarious members of the troop had learned that when once
the meeting was called to order they must put all joking aside.

Many a good debate had been heard within those same walls since the
scouts received permission to meet there; and yet in camp, when the rigid
discipline was relaxed, these same fellows could be as full of fun and
frolic as any lads going.

Tonight it had been whispered around that Paul had some sort of
important communication to make. No one could give a guess as to what it
might be, although all sorts of hazards were attempted, only to be
jeered at as absurd.

And so, while the meeting progressed, they were growing more and more
excited, until finally it was as much as some of them could do to repress
a cheer when Paul, having made sure that there was no other business to
be transacted, arose with a smile, and announced that he had a certain
communication to lay before them.

"Are you ready to hear it?" he asked; "every fellow who is raise
his hand."