marjorie could not help being amused by the reception with which she was greeted by her troop the next saturday evening. all of the girls except queenie appeared subdued, almost ashamed to look their captain in the face; queenie herself presented a forced gaiety.

“we’re all here, miss wilkinson!” cried queenie, meeting marjorie and lily at the door, and slipping her arm through that of her captain. “and we mean to work tonight—to do whatever you say!”

under her eyelashes marjorie perceived the sidewise, sheepish glances of the others. it was evident that they fully expected a severe reprimand.

but she had no intention of making any mention of the hike. she felt that the matter had been settled between herself and queenie; any further reference to it would do more harm than good.

instead she immediately introduced lily, and said that if the others were willing, she would serve as lieutenant of the troop. as usual, the patrol leader answered for the rest, in an enthusiastic affirmative.

she went through the usual formal opening of the meeting, proceeding, after the pledge to the flag and the repetition of the scout oath and laws, to the regular business. she could hardly restrain her smile as she called for the report of the minutes of the secretary upon the hike.

“i—haven’t—any report,” stammered stella, in embarrassment.

“then please write one up for our next meeting,” answered the captain. “is there any old business to come before the troop?”

there was a moment of intense silence; then queenie’s better nature took possession of her, and she rose to her feet bravely.

“i want to apologize to the captain for my own and my patrol’s behaviour on the hike!” she blurted out. “and i’d like to have this go in the minutes.”

“your apology is accepted,” replied marjorie, in a matter-of-fact tone.

“now,” she continued, “we shall proceed to new business. i have been to the scout headquarters this week, and have learned that there is a small basket-ball league in the city organization—small because only second-class scouts are eligible to enter. there are already four teams in the league—which begins its schedule in december. a cup is offered to the winning team. i should like to know how my troop would like to qualify.”

“basket-ball!” exclaimed queenie. “oh, boy!”

“but we ain’t players,” objected gertie.

“you could learn the game,” explained marjorie. “there is a splendid floor here, and i could play with you—and miss andrews, too. officers aren’t barred out, unless they’re professionals.”

marjorie had noted the stir of interest on the girls’ faces and knew that she had hit at least one cherished dream among her members. the girls all read the sporting pages of the papers, and talked athletics with the boys. besides, they knew that it was no child’s game.

“could you play and coach both?” asked queenie.

“no, not very well. i’d rather have a man to coach. if you are willing, i think my brother would do it.”

“your brother?” cried somebody.

“is he married?” whispered another girl, perfectly audibly.

marjorie laughed good-naturedly.

“no, he isn’t married or engaged. as far as i know, he’s never even been in love.”

“he isn’t one-eyed, or anything, is he?” questioned stella.

“no, he’s quite normal and respectable,” replied marjorie. “but you don’t have to decide upon a coach until you see him. the question is: are you interested?”

“i’ll say we are!” declared queenie, warmly, and of course the troop acquiesced.

“it means hard work—both in basket-ball itself, and in scouting. there are six girls on a team, so at least four of you would have to qualify, and pass your second-class tests by november fifteenth, to register.”

“we’ll do it!” announced queenie. “no more parties, nuthin’ but work, work, work! we’ll show ’em who’s top in the scouts. we’ll be the pussy’s meow——”

“and win that there cup!” concluded stella, herself now thoroughly won over to the proposition.

when marjorie turned to the scout work, she found them all eager to begin. a genuine surprise awaited her when she mentioned the tenderfoot tests.

“we’re ready to pass ’em tonight!” queenie informed her.

“pass them!” marjorie and lily both cried in one breath. “you mean that you can answer all the questions?” the former demanded.

“that’s the song i’m tryin’ to sing!”

“but—i thought—that mr. richards was coming to give them next week.”

she looked at the girls inquiringly. his name had not been mentioned before, nor did she know whether he had been present the preceding week.

“he came and taught us last week,” queenie faltered. “and believe me, we worked. he’s a live one!”

marjorie smiled brightly.

“i’m awfully glad, girls—i congratulate you! then we may as well proceed to the tests.”

the prospective members went through with them with such facility that the young captain’s delight increased with every successive girl. when they had finished, all but gertie reed and mame collins had passed to her satisfaction. then, with the regular investiture ceremony, she presented them with their pins.

the meeting was just about to break up, when lily came forward with another surprise for the girls, as well as marjorie.

“i hope,” she began, “that the new scouts will accept a present which has been offered by a friend of the troop. my mother has asked for the privilege of giving each girl her uniform as she passes the tenderfoot test. these are to be made by her tailor, and are to include riding-breeches, which we can adopt as our basket-ball costume.”

wild cries of joy came from all the girls at once. secretly they had all been dreading the ready-made suits that the scouts wore, but this offer would make their troop the smartest in the city. before they could even express their thanks, lily took out six order blanks, signed by her mother, and gave them to the girls. even gertie and mame, who had heretofore shown little interest in the proceedings, looked on in frank envy.

then, while the excitement was still high, they adjourned to the gymnasium, to receive their first instructions in basket-ball.