Vacation was now nearly at an end, and presently the scouts would be taking up their school duties for the new year. The summer that had passed had really been the most delightful one in all their experience; and they looked forward hopefully to other good times ahead, when, as scouts, they might be given the privilege of learning many of the secrets of Nature and of building up sturdy and manly characters under the influence of the splendid rules governing the organization. But there was one grumbler out of the number starting out for Little Falls, and this was Nat. He never could get entirely over the cruel fate that had allowed those trapped plotters to get off "so easy" and was often heard to mutter that if Elmer had not happened to be along there might have been a different story to tell. But like a lot of fellows, Nat's "bark was more savage than his bite," and perhaps, after all, had he been allowed his own sweet way, he might have remembered how he had faithfully promised not to harbor the spirit of revenge when he signed the roster of the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts' troop. _THE END._ _The next story of this Series (Number Six), which can be found on sale everywhere, is called "The Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts' Endurance Test; or, How Clear Grit Won the Day."_ ADDENDA BOY SCOUT NATURE LORE BOY SCOUT NATURE LORE TO BE FOUND IN THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUT SERIES. Wild Animals of the United States } Tracking } in Number I. THE CAMPFIRES OF THE WOLF PATROL. Trees and Wild Flowers of the United States in Number II. WOODCRAFT, OR HOW A PATROL LEADER MADE GOOD. Reptiles of the United States in Number III. PATHFINDER, OR THE MISSING TENDERFOOT. Fishes of the United States in Number IV. FAST NINE, OR A CHALLENGE FROM FAIRFIELD. Insects of the United States in Number V. GREAT HIKE, OR THE PRIDE OF THE KHAKI TROOP. Birds of the United States in Number VI. ENDURANCE TEST, OR HOW CLEAR GRIT WON THE DAY. THE INSECTS OF THE UNITED STATES. Insects are the most abundant of the animal kingdom. They are classified principally by the nature of their wings. Dr. Sharp, an authority on Entomology, recognizes but nine orders: 1. Aptera. 2. Orthoptera. 3. Neuroptera. 4. Hymenoptera. 5. Coleoptera. 6. Lepidoptera. 7. Diptera. 8. Thysanoptera. 9. Hemiptera. Many useful products are obtained from insects. From them we get our silk, honey and cochineal, and they help to fertilize our flowers. On the other hand, many are detrimental to agriculture and health. APTERA. These are primitive insects without wings. The Campodea, a small insect, belongs to this order. Another example is the "Silverfish," which is found in receptacles holding sugar, starch, etc., in and about unclean bakeshops and kitchens. They are known principally in houses of the Southern States, especially in damp places. ORTHOPTERA.