"Whitman, you can take the north trail, and bear down over the mountain. Ham will strike out down the creek to the left there, and work around to your territory. There's an old cabin hidden by scrub-oaks and rocks about a quarter below the bridge there, Ham. Know it for what it is, but don't you run your long neck into danger." In spite of his hurt Danny was getting interested. He crept up on the outer edge of the group and listened, wide-eyed, as the other boys eagerly accepted their several commissions. "Roger and Ed," their leader was continuing, "bear south till you get below the drop of the cliff, and then separate and work that territory between you"--with a sweeping gesture. "Alex and Biddie--let me see--you two go over the mountain to the right of Elsie--No, there's the Death Head trail--" He paused a moment in thoughtful survey of them, and the boys looked at each other apprehensively. Not one of them was anxious to work the trail of evil name. Suddenly, however, McKenzie's eyes lighted on Danny Harding, and an inspiration seemed to come to him. "Say," he exclaimed, "I'll give the new recruit a chance at that. Come here, scout." And he laid a kind hand on Danny's shoulder and drew him into the circle. Somebody on the outskirts of the group laughed. "Now you are going to do your first service for your country," McKenzie said to the tenderfoot; "but whatever you do, be wary, because----" Somebody else laughed, and McKenzie looked about sharply. "What's the joke?" he asked. "Danny's afraid," the mocker explained; "that's where the dead man swings." Biddie strolled forward. "Alex will be enough to work Elsie's right," he said to McKenzie. "Give me the Death Head trail. You'll need Dan here about the camp." But Danny raised his head quickly. It is true that his face was dead-white, but his head was up. "I'll go to the Death Head," he said to McKenzie. The crowd was dumb-struck. "But you got white-livered and backed down--" L. C. began, after the first shock of his surprise. "I wouldn't go when you dared me to," said the tenderfoot, "but this is--different." And he added in his heart: "This is for _my country_." "But he _is_ afraid," put in Roger. "Look at him!" McKenzie took a long, straight look into Danny's white face and determined eyes, and then turned to Roger. "All the gamer of him," he said, "to go in spite of being afraid--that's the stuff that Pershing is looking for. And Mr. Gordon says that a boy who 'isn't afraid of anything' hasn't sense enough to be trusted with a commission. "Kid," he continued, turning to Danny, "you find out all that there is to be known about the Death Head vicinity before you show up in camp again." "All right," said Danny.