"
"Well, that's just what I want to speak about. Look here, Rod, you're
not such a bad boy after all, even though you did put a toad in my lap,
and drop that key down my neck. Now, I've made up my mind to help you.
I'm going to give you your suit, see?"
Rod started, while, an expression of joy leaped into his eyes. He was
about to speak, when he suddenly hesitated, and his face grew grave.
"What's the matter?" Miss Arabella demanded, noticing his embarrassed
manner.
"I--I can't take it," he stammered.
"And why not? I'd like to know."
"'Cos I have to earn the money myself, and if you give me the suit it
won't be fair."
"Oh, rubbish! What's the difference?" was the disgusted reply. "The
other scouts will have their suits given to them, and why shouldn't
you? I don't want them to get ahead of you."
"But they've got to earn their own money, Miss Arabella, and they'll
have to tell how they earned it, too. Captain Josh won't let them wear
their suits unless they do."
"H'm, is that so? Well, I call it a queer arrangement. How do you
expect to earn yours?" and the woman looked keenly at the boy.
"I don't know. I've been thinking over it a lot. If I only knew some
way, I would work so hard.
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