"
"Who will be scoutmaster, sir, if you go to the war?" asked Harry.
"I'm not quite sure," said Grenfel. "We haven't decided yet. But it will be
someone you can trust--be sure of that. And I think I needn't say that if
you scouts have any real regard for me you will show it best by serving as
loyally and as faithfully under him as you have under me. I shall be with
you in spirit, no matter where I am. Now it's getting late. I think we'd
better break up for to-night. We will make a special order, too, for the
present. Every scout in the troop will report at scout headquarters until
further notice, every day, at nine o'clock in the morning.
"I think we'll have to make up our minds not to play many games for the
time that is coming. There is real work ahead of us if war comes--work just
as real and just as hard, in its way, as if we were all going to fight for
England. Everyone cannot fight, but the ones who stay at home and do the
work that comes to their hands will serve England just as loyally as if
they were on the firing line! Now--up, all of you! Three cheers for King
George!"
They were given with a will--and Harry Fleming joined in as heartily as any
of them. He was as much of an American as he had ever been, but something
in him responded with a strange thrill to England's need, as Grenfel had
expressed it.
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