"It is that War," said his mother, as though the war should be severely reprimanded. "Before you went into that war, you were always contented.
Now nothing contents you for long."
"Perhaps you are right," admitted Robert absently. "At all events I can be spared from the office just now better than at any other time, and I am going to go away."
And go he did an hour later. Mrs. Hargrave and Elise came in presently to take Sunday night luncheon.
"Where is Robert?" asked Mrs. Hargrave, seeing that no place was set for him.
"Gone off for a vacation," said his mother.
"Dear me, isn"t he well?" asked Mrs. Hargrave.
"Perfectly, but he just took one of his notions and went."
"Anything--er--happened, do you suppose?" questioned Mrs. Hargrave.
"Anything--er, _you_ know. Misunderstanding?"
"Possibly," answered Mrs. Horton. "That is what I suspect. But I don"t _know_ anything."
"Oh dear, oh dear!" cried Mrs. Hargrave, folding her fine old hands together. "It is too bad! Can"t something be done? Why, Robert is the finest boy in this world! He is just what I dream my son would have been if I had had one. Do you suppose one could say anything to the other person?"
"No, indeed," said Mrs. Horton. "I don"t _know_, you see. I only suspect."
So Uncle Robert went away, and Gwenny was off at the hospital, and Rosanna and Helen spent all their time drilling Elise in the requirements of the Tenderfoot examination. Elise was quick to learn, but she found more difficulty in learning this because her knowledge of English was of course limited. The girls were anxious to make a brilliant showing with their recruit.
Over and over they drilled her in the Tenderfoot examination, at the last requiring her to write the answers to the examination paper which read as follows:
TENDERFOOT EXAMINATION,
WRITTEN.
1 a Give the Scout promise.
b What does the Scout motto mean?
2 Give the Scout laws in order.
3 a What is the purpose of the Scout movement?
b What does a Scout"s honor mean?
c Give the meaning of one law.
d How and when should the Scout salute be given?
e Explain the Scout badge.
4 a Who made the American flag?
b Why was a flag needed?
c In what city was it made? What year?
d Name the committee appointed to design it.
5 a Quote General Washington"s words about the flag.
b When was the flag officially adopted?
c Describe the first official flag of the stars and stripes.
6 a What do the stars represent? The stripes?
b For what do the colors, red, white and blue stand?
c How many stars has the flag now? What day is Flag day?
d When is a new star added and why?
7 Give fully the respect due the flag.
8 a What should Scouts do when the National Anthem is played?
b What should Civilians do at Retreat? Scouts?
9 a What is the United States Government?
b Who is at its head?
c Name the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.
10 a Write America.
b Write The Star Spangled Banner (omitting 3rd stanza).
Then followed the demonstration of knots and knot tying. Over and over they drilled her, and Elise was an apt pupil. Her delicate little fingers seemed to know of themselves what to do.
"I am glad she is to _write_ that examination," sighed Helen the day before Elise was to go to Captain Hooker and take her examination formally. She was to be examined on Friday afternoon, and at the meeting Sat.u.r.day night she was to become a Tenderfoot Scout member of their patrol.
"What difference does it make whether she writes the exam, or recites her answers?" returned Rosanna. "She speaks brokenly, of course, but that does not matter."
"All it matters is that no one could hear her speak of General Washington the way she does in her funny broken English, without wanting to scream. It is so funny."
Funny or not, Elise went through her examination most successfully and Sat.u.r.day night accompanied Helen and Rosanna to the meeting at Miss Hooker"s house. Their little Captain had fitted up a room specially for her girls, where they could keep their various doc.u.ments and where the seats, the neat desk for the secretary, and the standard for the big silk flag did not need to be disturbed in the intervals between meetings.
Elise was thrilled beyond words.
As they entered the room she saw that the two girls saluted their little Captain. Not knowing if she was expected to salute before becoming a Scout, Elise dropped a shy curtsey and followed Rosanna to a seat where they awaited the full number of Scouts and the shrill whistle from the Lieutenant which brought the meeting to order.
"The first whistle means _Attention_," whispered Helen.
Once again it sounded.
"That is for a.s.sembly," whispered Rosanna on the other side, as all the girls rose.
Leaving Elise in her seat, the Scouts formed in double ranks at a distance of forty inches between ranks and an interval of sixty inches between patrols.
The eight girls who formed a patrol took their places in groups as signified by the crosses.
Patrol Patrol Patrol x.x.xX x.x.xX x.x.xX x.x.xX x.x.xX x.x.xX Captain X X Lieutenant
Elise found out afterward that number one in the front rank of each patrol is the Patrol leader, and number four the Corporal.
At the command "Company, attention!" from the little Captain, now standing so straight and so stern that Elise scarcely recognized her, the Company as a whole stiffened to attention.