No shortcoming of cowardice is his, at all events, and I
blame myself that I did not suggest one of you older boys.
If we have not won the distinction we set our hearts on, our stay
here has been pleasant and our achievement creditable, and for my
part I give three cheers for the scouts who are to be honored and
for the fortunate troops who will share their honors.
This good attempt to revive the spirits of his disappointed troop was
followed by three feeble cheers, which ought to have gone on crutches,
they were so weak.
Hervey was not in evidence throughout the day, and since no news is good
news, one or two unquenchable spirits in his troop continued to hope
that he would put in a dramatic appearance just in the nick of time,
with the report of a sensational discovery--the tracks of a bear or a
wild cat, for instance. It is significant that they would have been
quite ready to believe him, whatever he had said.
But Mr. Warren knew, as his troop did not, of Hervey's saying that he
wasn't so stuck on eagles, and he was satisfied from the talk that he
had had with him that Hervey's erratic and fickle nature had asserted
itself in the very moment of high responsibility. He could not help
liking Hervey, but he would never again allow the cherished hopes of the
troop to rest upon such shaky foundation.
Whatever lingering hopes the troop might have had of a last minute
triumph were rudely dispelled when Hervey came sauntering into camp at
about four o'clock twirling his hat on the end of a stick in an
annoyingly care-free manner.
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