ut ten minu

day. Possibly, before the shades of evening fell, the heat of the dog days might prove

there as well as boys; for what with the sisters of the scouts, as well as all the other fellows' sisters, the starting of

members of the various patrols. Each fellow was, as a rule, the center of a q

troop, was talking to the boys who expected to participate in the long tramp

ould invalidate all his rights to be considered in the contest. And of course each fellow gave

supplied with a letter of greeting, which they were to hand to that gentleman upon arriving at the headquarters in Little Falls. This town being some forty-seven mil

at exactly the same hour, and under similar conditions. And the spirit of Hickory Ridge was aroused in civic pride. They

ond of Elmer, waylaid Landy as he was changing his position, meaning, to get closer t

s, Landy!" she exclaimed, with an e

lf dozen scouts before they started, could not resist this plea. Truth to tell, Landy was

alt, though looking longingly toward the excited g

busy he just can't spend one little minut

wincing when the girl rested a hand on one of his sore arms. "But I was at the meeting where all th

oys only walk and not r

ot a Marathon race. So every fellow is pu

e he can take such big steps," observed the girl, frowning a littl

f one who knows all the ins

were sore. "Why, it often happens that some little runt can outstrip a fellow nearly twice his height. It's endurance that tells in the long run.

. But then, after that experience when the ladder fell and left him dangling twenty feet from the ground, Landy r

pity them, though!" the girl went on. "Elmer would have been in the game too, only for that ugly th

ot the Injun sign on the rest of the bunch. Between you and me, Elsie, I'm pinning some faith on George Robbins. You know he's my cousin, and he's got some of the old Philander Smith

across it every now and then. But, Landy, how will it be known that the six contestants keep to the route that has been la

craft from winning when this was to be a question of speed and endurance, M

do you mean by tha

r. Garrabrant will establish a register. In that book every fellow in the great hike is exp

xclaimed. "But Elmer intends setting out on his wheel later on in th

how they are getting on. I expected to be chosen to be one of these inspectors, but I had a little accident yesterday that knocked me out. But a

that he could glorify his own prowess, he made a mistake. Evidently the pretty little mis

tants get anything to ea

on himself. "They can stop and have a meal at any old tavern; but I reckon most of the fellows are wise to the fact that they must

one of the poor fellows breaks down? It's a terrible long trip, and

rrabrant would allow them to enter; and they're all as fit as fiddles. Of course we don't expect that after they've put, say twent

all at the same time,

ck. You know they say it's a bad thing to urge your horse early in a long race. All sorts of ideas will prevail, so that l

failed to catch; for he again stiffened up with that superior air that boys are apt to assume when exp

when she chose to smile on a fellow that way. "And besides, we pick up a lot of information from our scout master, and Elmer, who knows all about woodcraft, be

seek information, Landy was now hedging, and content to carry her along

wo minutes of six. And at the first stroke

perfect babel of confusion about this time. But Mr. Garrabrant anticipating such a happening, had spoken the last

uck, Li

foot of yours going

ting on you to w

the extreme left; just

You know the rules of

around again unless you b

of the scouts imitated the voice of a girl

nute o

closer and closer. Many eyes were turned upon the big face

ey heard Mr. Gar

and the figures of the six contestants who wore the khaki ga

dent smiles, as though they believed in their hearts that it would be an easy snap.

s know that the big clock always emitted this seeming gasp just

as t

as hats and handkerchiefs fi

smiling scout master, looking after