Something of his brave father's love for that National Ensign, the "Color" as the fisherman called it, which had presided over so many crises of that father's life, as when on a gala day in harbor he ran it to the masthead, or twined it in the rigging, at sea, to speak another vessel, or sorrowfully hoisted it at half-mast for a shipmate drowned,--something of that loving reverence now began to blossom in Harold's heart like a many-tinted flower! "Well! here you are, Harold." Coombsie was promptly taking charge of the new arrival, piloting him, with Toiney, to a seat. "I knew you'd come; you've got the right stuff in you; eh?" It was feeble "stuff" at the moment, and in danger of melting into an open attempt at flight; for Harold's eyes had turned from the benignant flag to the figure of Leon Chase. But Leon had little opportunity, and less desire, to harass him to-night. For, as the kernel of the initiatory proceedings was reached, the first of the seven new recruits to hold up the three fingers of his right hand and take the scout oath was Starrie Chase:-- "On my honor I will do my best, to do my duty to God and my country, and to obey the scout law: To help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight." Captain Andy cleared his throat as he listened, and the doctor wiped his glasses. Then, as corporal or second in command of the new patrol, Leon stood holding aloft the brand-new flag of that patrol--a great, horned hoot-owl, the Grand Duke of the neighboring woods, embroidered on a blue ground by Colin's mother--while his brother recruits, having each passed the tenderfoot test, took the oath and were enrolled as duly fledged Owls. Harold, the timid fledgling, came last. Supported on either side by his sponsors, Nixon and Coombsie, he distinguished himself by tying the four knots which formed part of the test with swiftness and skill, and by "muddling" through the rest of the examination, consent having been obtained from headquarters that some leniency in the matter of answers might be shown to this handicapped boy who had never been to school and for whom--as for Leon--the Boy Scout Movement might prove The Thing. Captain Andy declared it to be "The Thing" when later that night he was called upon for a speech.