As it happened two ruddy screech owls, faithful lovers and monogamists, which had dwelt together as Darby and Joan in the hollow of an old apple-tree in a distant orchard, being persecuted both by boys and blue jays, had eschewed civilization, isolating themselves, at least from the former, in the woods. As dawn broke between the tall pines and a pale river of daylight flowed along the logging-road, they were seen, both together, upon a low bough, with the dawn breeze fluffing their thick, rufous plumage, making them look larger than they really were, and their heads slowly turning from side to side, trying to discover the meaning of a camp-fire and other strange doings in this their retreat. "Oo-oo! look at them," hooted Colin softly, creeping out of the cave and stealthily approaching their birch-tree. "They have yellow eyes and faces like kittens. Huh! they're more comical than a basket of monkeys. Oh, there they go." For even as his hand was put forth to touch them, they vanished silently as the ebbing shadows in the train of night. "This must be a great place for owls," said Leon, blinking like one--not until far on in the night had he slept owing to the wrenching pain in his ankle. "Listen! there goes the big old hooter--the great horned owl--the Grand Duke we call him. Hear him 'way off: 'Whoo-whoo-hoo-doo-whoo!' Sounds almost like a wolf howling! _Ou-ouch!_" "Is your ankle hurting badly, Starrie?" "It's--fierce." "Daylight is coming fast now; I'll be able to find the spring and wet those bandages again--and bring you a drink too"; this from the scout. "Thanks. You're the boy, Nix!" The brotherly act accomplished, there was silence in the cave where the four boys had again stretched themselves while young Day crept up over the woods. Suddenly Leon's voice was heard ambiguously muttering in the cave's recess: "If it's The Thing, every fellow wants to be in it!" "Say! fellows, I've got an idea," he put forth aloud. "Out with it, if it's worth anything!" from Colin. "Oh, for heaven's sake, Leon! get it out quick, and let us go to sleep again!" pleaded Coombsie, who knew that if Starrie Chase was oppressed by an idea, other boys would hear it in his time, not in theirs. "I propose that after we get home--when my ankle is better--we start a boy scout patrol in our town and call it the Owl Patrol! I guess we've heard the owls--different kinds--often enough to-night, to be able to imitate one or other of them." "Good enough! The Scout's is the life for me!" sang out Colin. "The motion is seconded and carried--now let's go to sleep!" from Marcoo. "As I expect to stay in these parts for six months, or longer, I'll get transferred from the Philadelphia Peewits to the new patrol!" decided Nixon. "Bully for you! We'll ask Kenjo Red and Sweetsie to come in; they're dandy fellows--and who else?" Leon hesitated.