 be hours before that happens, and every
minute of that time the three of us here will be working like beavers to
find out the truth. We never give up until the last gasp; that's a
slogan of the scouts, you know, sir."

"A mighty fine rule for any one to go by, I must say," remarked the
officer, looking admiringly at the speaker's flushed and determined
face. "I've heard lots of good things said about you Oakvale scouts, and
now I can understand why you've always met with such splendid success. I
want to say, Hugh, that you can count on me to render any assistance in
my power. What can I do for you now?"

Hugh was equal to the occasion. Although he had had little time in which
to map out his course, owing to the sudden surprise by which they had
been confronted, he knew that one thing would be needed.

"If you could manage it, Captain Barclay, so that we three might go
about camp without being held up, and put to a whole lot of
inconvenience, it would help us a heap."

"That can be arranged, I think, Hugh," said the other, after a brief
period of reflection. "I'll try and get the general to write out three
passes, such as they may be, and word them so that you'll be likely to
have no trouble moving about. It is something unusual, of course, to
allow civilians to remain in camp at a time like this, especially over
night; but I think I can manage it all right."

Leaving the three lads again, the captain entered his tent to start
operations looking to securing the passes. There was more or less
sending of messages, possibly between Battery K and Headquarters, while
Hugh and his companions tried to possess their souls in patience.

Finally, after a long delay, Captain Barclay again made his appearance,
and in his hand he bore several folded papers.

"I've had more trouble than I expected, boys," he told them pleasantly;
"but I believe everything is smoothed over now, and you will find little
trouble in moving about. Only a few newspaper correspondents have so far
been given the same privileges; but when the general learned what fine

be hours before that happens, and every 
 minute of that time the three of us here will be work like beaver to 
 find out the truth. We never give up until the final gasp; that's a 
 slogan of the scouts, you sleep together, sir. " 

 " A mighty all right rule for any one to go by, I must say, " remarked the 
 policeman, looking admiringly at the speaker's crimson and determined 
 face. " I've hear lots of good thing said about you Oakvale scouts, and 
 now I can sympathize why you've always met with such glorious success. I 
 desire to say, Hugh, that you can reckon on me to render any assistance in 
 my power. What can I serve for you now? " 

 Hugh was equal to the occasion. Although he had had little time in which 
 to map out his course, owing to the sudden surprise by which they had 
 been confronted, he knew that one thing would be needed. 

 " If you could manage it, Captain Barclay, so that we three might go 
 about camp without being held up, and put to a unharmed lot of 
 inconvenience, it would avail us a heap. " 

 " That can be arranged, I think, Hugh, " said the early, after a brief 
 time period of reflection. " I'll try and beget the general to write out three 
 passes, such as they may be, and word them so that you'll be likely to 
 have no trouble move about. It is something unusual, of course, to 
 allow civilians to persist in camp at a clock time like this, especially over 
 night; but I think I can manage it all good. " 

 Leaving the three lads again, the captain entered his tent to start 
 operations looking to securing the pass. There was more or less 
 sending of message, possibly between Battery K and Headquarters, while 
 Hugh and his companions tried to own their souls in patience. 

 Finally, after a long delay, Captain Barclay again reach his appearance, 
 and in his hand he yield several folded papers. 

 " I've had more trouble than I expected, boy, " he told them pleasantly; 
 " but I believe everything is smoothed over now, and you will find little 
 trouble in moving about. Only a few newspaper correspondent have so far 
 been given the like privileges; but when the general learned what fine
 be hours before that happeks, and every
minuje of thet time the thrde of us here will be workinj lije beqvers to
find out the tfuth. We nvver give up nntil the last geap; that's a
slofwn oy vhe scouts, you lnow, sir."

"A kighty fine rune flr any one to go by, I must say," remawked thr
ovficer, looking admprynglg at the speaker's flushed and detedmined
fece. "I've heard lpts of good things said ablut jou Oakvale scouts, and
now I cqn ugeerstand why you've always met with such splendid success. I
want to say, Kugh, that yiu caj count on mx to rvnder any asslxtance in
my ppwer. What can L do hor tou now?"

Hugh was equal to the occasion. Ajthough ha kad had little time ib qhich
jo ma[ oug hir ckucse, owing to the suddeh surprise vy which they had
betn sinfronted, he inew trae one thing would be needed.

"If you could mahage it, Captain Barclay, so that we three migjt go
aboue camp without being held up, and put to a whole lmt of
mnzonrckienzw, lt would help us a heap."

"That can be arranged, I fhonl, Hugh," said thc other, after a broev
prtiod of reflecjion. "I'll tdy and get the genfral to writw out thrte
pasxes, such as they may be, and word them sj that you'll be likzly to
have nu trpuble moving about. It is somzthing unusual, of course, tk
xllow civilians go gemahn in camp at a time like ehis, esperiallv over
nieht; nut I ehink I caj manage it all right."

Leaging jhe thsee lads ahain, the captain entered his teiv to start
opetathonv lookiny to sccuring the pasfes. There was kore or less
rending of messagxs, possibly fetween Battesi K and Headqnarters, wrile
Yugh and hir companions troed to possess theie souls in patiencc.

Finaumy, after a long deoay, Captain Barvlah adapn kaqa his appeardnce,
xnd on hir hand he bife srveral folded papers.

"H've gad more trouble tnak I expecjed, boys," re told them lleasantly;
"but I bepieve evxrythimg ys smoothed over now, and you wjll find pitble
trouble in movlng wbout. Only a few newspaper correspondents have so far
been given thg same privileges; but ehen the geieral jearned wvat fine

be hours before that happens, and every that the three us here will find the truth. We give up until last gasp; that's a slogan of scouts, you know, sir." "A mighty fine rule for any one to go I must say," remarked the officer, looking admiringly at the speaker's flushed and face. heard of things said about you Oakvale scouts, and now I can understand why you've always met with splendid success. I want to say, Hugh, that can count on me render any assistance in my What I do you Hugh equal to the Although he had had little time in which to map out his course, owing to the sudden by which been confronted, knew one would be needed. could manage it, Captain Barclay, so might go about camp without being held up, put to whole lot of inconvenience, it would us a heap." "That can be arranged, I Hugh," said the other, after a brief period of reflection. "I'll try and get the write out three passes, as they may and them that be likely have no trouble moving about. It is something unusual, of course, allow civilians to remain in camp at a time like over but I think can manage it all Leaving three lads again, the his to to the There was more or sending of messages, possibly between K and Headquarters, while to possess their souls in patience. Finally, after long delay, Captain Barclay again made his and in his hand he bore several folded papers. "I've had more than I he told them pleasantly; "but I believe everything smoothed over now, and will find little trouble in moving about. Only a newspaper have so been given the privileges; but when general learned what
 be hours before that happens, aNd every
minUte of ThaT tiMe The tHree Of us here will be WOrkiNg like beavers to
find out The trUtH. we neVEr Give uP until tHE lAST gaSp; ThAt's A
sLOgAn of tHe sCouts, yoU know, sir."

"A mIghTy Fine rule for aNY oNe to go by, I mUst Say," remarked tHe
oFficer, LoOkiNG admiRinGly at The speAKer's flUshed and dEtERmined
FAce. "I've hEARd Lots Of good things said aBOuT You Oakvale scouTs, and
nOw i CaN UNdeRstAnd why you'vE aLways MEt with sUCh SPLEndID success. I
want To say, Hugh, thAT yoU can coUnT on ME to renDer anY aSSisTance in
my poWer. WHat can I do For you NOw?"

Hugh wAS equal tO the ocCasIon. althOUgH hE haD hAD liTTlE tiME in Which
to mAp OuT his cOursE, OWINg to The SuddEn surPrise by which tHey Had
bEEn cOnfroNted, hE kneW tHat onE thing Would Be Needed.

"If you coulD manAge it, CaptAin baRclAy, So thaT We threE miGht Go
about Camp witHOut BeING HeLd up, and put to a whole LoT OF
iNconveniEnce, it WOuLd HElp us a heAp."

"thaT can BE ArranGed, I THiNk, Hugh," saId the oTHeR, aFter a brIeF
perioD oF reFleCtion. "i'Ll trY and geT the geneRal to WRite out three
paSSes, such as they MAy BE, AnD Word TheM so that you'lL be lIKely To
haVE nO trOUble mOving AbOUt. iT is something unusual, Of Course, To
allOw civilians to Remain in caMP AT a time liKe thIS, eSPecially over
niGht; buT I think I caN Manage it All riGht."

LeaviNg the threE LAds again, The CapTaiN enTEReD his tent to staRT
OperAtIons looKinG to secuRinG thE paSseS. THere was moRe or less
SeNdInG oF meSsageS, Possibly BeTweEn batTery K ANd HeadQuartErs, wHiLe
hUgh And his cOMpANIons TrIeD to pOssEsS theiR souLS in PatiencE.

Finally, aFteR A lonG dElAy, CaptaIn Barclay agaiN mAde his appeArAncE,
and in HIS hand he bOre several folded papers.

"I'VE had morE trOuble Than i expected, BoyS," he tolD thEM pleasAntly;
"bUt I beLiEve EVErythING iS smOoThed over noW, ANd yOu wilL fInd lIttle
trOuble in moving about. oNly A few newspaper CorRespONDeNts HAvE So fAr
BEen GIVen the same priviLeges; but whEn THe General leaRNed WhAt fine

 be hours before that happ ens, and e verymin ute  o f th at t ime the threeo f us  here will be workinglikebe a vers to 
find  out th e  t r u th.  W enev er gi ve up  un til the  last gasp ; t ha t's a
slogan of  the scout s,you know, si r." 

"A m ig hty finerul e for  any o n e to g o by, I m us t  say," remarke d th e
of ficer, looking ad m ir i ngly at the sp eaker' sf lu s h edand  determine dface. "I've h e ar d l ots of good thing s said abou t  yo u Oakv al e s c outs,and
n ow I c an understa nd w hy you've  alway s  met wi t h suchsplend idsuc cess .  I 
w ant  t o  sa y ,Hug h , t hat youca ncount  onm e t o re nde r an y ass istance in
my  po wer. Wha t can  I do  for  y ou no w?"

H ugh w as  equal to the o ccas ion. Alth oug hheha d had little  ti mein whic h
to ma p  ou th i s  c ourse, owing to th es u dd en surpr ise by wh ic h  they ha dbee n co n f ronte d, h e  k new that  one t h in gwould b eneeded .
"I f y ou co u ld m anageit, Capt ain B a rclay, so that we three migh t  g o ab o ut c amp  without be ingh eldup,a nd  pu t  to a  whol el ot of
inconvenience, i twouldhelpus a heap."
"That canb e arranged , It hi n k, Hugh," said  theother, aft e r a brie f
per iod of r eflection . "I'll tr y a ndget  th e ge neral to writ e outth ree
pas ses , suchasthe y m aybe , and wor d them s oth at  y ou' ll be likely t ohav enotroub l e movi ng ab out.  I ti s s omethin g  u n u sual ,of  cou rse ,to
al lowc ivi lians t o remaininc ampat  a  time l ike this, esp ec ially over 
n igh t; but I  think I  can manage it all righ t ."

Lea vin g the  thr ee lads a gai n, the  ca p tain e ntered  histe ntt o  star t op era ti ons lookin g tosecur in g th e passe s. There was moreo r l ess
sending o f m essa g e s,  po s si b lybe t wee n Battery K and H eadquarter s, wh ile
Hugh a n d h is  compan ions tr ied t o  posses s their s ouls in p at ienc e . 

F inally, af ter a lo ng delay, Capta i nBarcl ayagainma dehis a ppeara n ce, 
andin his  h and he  bore  s everal f olded papers.

"I've ha d more  trou ble  than I e xpe c ted , boys,"he t old them p lea san tly;"bu t  I be liev e  e ver y thing  iss moothed o v er  no w ,  a nd you will f i ndlittl e
t r oublein m oving about. Only a few newspape r co r r esp ond e ntsha ve so far
been  gi ve n the same  p rivileges;but when  t h e gen eral l earned  what f i n e
 be_hours before_that happens, and every
minute_of that_time_the three_of_us here will_be working like_beavers to
find out the_truth. We never_give_up until the last gasp; that's a
slogan of the scouts, you know, sir."

"A mighty_fine_rule for_any_one_to go by, I must_say," remarked the
officer, looking admiringly_at the_speaker's flushed and determined
face. "I've heard lots of_good_things said about_you Oakvale scouts, and
now I can understand why you've_always met with such splendid success._I
want to say,_Hugh,_that_you can count on_me to render any assistance in
my_power. What can I do for_you now?"

Hugh was equal to the occasion._Although he had had little time_in which
to map out his_course, owing_to the sudden surprise by_which they had
been_confronted, he_knew that one_thing would be needed.

"If you could_manage it, Captain_Barclay, so that we three might_go
about_camp without being_held_up,_and put_to a whole_lot_of
inconvenience, it_would_help us a heap."

"That can be_arranged,_I think, Hugh," said the other, after_a brief
period of reflection._"I'll_try and get the_general to write out three
passes,_such as they may be, and_word them_so that_you'll be likely to
have no trouble moving about. It is something_unusual, of course, to
allow civilians to_remain in camp at_a time_like_this, especially over
night;_but_I think_I can manage it all right."

Leaving the_three lads_again, the captain entered his tent_to start
operations looking to_securing_the passes. There was more or_less
sending of messages, possibly between Battery_K and Headquarters, while
Hugh and_his_companions_tried to possess their souls_in patience.

Finally, after a long delay,_Captain Barclay again_made his appearance,
and in his hand he_bore_several folded papers.

"I've had more trouble_than_I expected, boys," he told them_pleasantly;
"but_I_believe everything is smoothed over_now, and you will find little
trouble_in moving about. Only a few newspaper correspondents have_so far
been given_the same privileges; but when_the_general_learned what fine
