ANOTHER SCOUT It was characteristic of Tom Slade that he liked to go off alone occasionally for a ramble in the woods.

It was not that he liked the scouts less, but rather that he liked the woods more.

It was his wont to stroll off when his camp duties for the day were over and poke around in the adjacent woods.
The scouts knew and respected his peculiarities and preferences, particularly those who were regular summer visitors at the big camp, and few ever followed him into his chosen haunts.

Occasionally some new scout, tempted by the pervading reputation and unique negligee of Uncle Jeb's young assistant, ventured to follow him and avail himself of the tips and woods lore with which the more experienced scout's conversation abounded when he was in a talking mood.

But Tom was a sort of creature apart and the boys of camp, good scouts that they were, did not intrude upon his lonely rambles.
The season was well nigh over at Temple Camp when this thing happened.
Not over exactly, but the period of arrivals had passed and the period of departures would begin in a day or two--as soon as the events with which the season culminated were over.
These were the water events, the tenderfoot carnival (not to be missed on any account) and the big affair at the main pavilion when awards were to be made.