The younger lads were not permitted to know what was going on--none younger than Archie himself being admitted into the band, while some of the elders were youths approaching man's estate.

Even to his mother Archie did not breathe a word of what he was doing, for he feared that she might forbid his proceedings.

The good lady was often surprised at the cuts and bruises with which he returned home; but he always turned off her questions by muttering something about rough play or a heavy fall, and so for some months the existence of the Scottish Avengers remained unsuspected..