CHAPTER IV.
HERVEY LEARNS SOMETHING They strolled on through the woods together, the younger boy's gayety and enthusiasm showing in pleasing contrast to Tom's stolid manner.
He was a wholesome, vivacious boy, this Willetts, with a breeziness which seemed to captivate even his sober companion, and if Tom had felt any slight annoyance at being thus overhauled by a comparative stranger, the feeling quickly passed in the young scout's cheery company.
"They told me down in camp that if I need a guide, philosopher, and friend, I'd better run you down, or up----" "If you'd gone a little to the left you'd have found it easier," Tom said, in his usual matter-of-fact manner.
"Oh, I suppose you know all the highways and byways and right ways and left ways and every which ways for miles and miles around," Hervey Willetts said.

"I guess they were right when they said you'd be a good guide, philosopher, and friend, hey ?" "I don't know what a philosopher is," Tom said, with characteristic blunt honesty, "but I know all the trails around here, if that's what you're talking about." "Oh, you mean about guides ?" Hervey asked, just a trifle puzzled.
"That's an expression, _guide, philosopher, and friend_.

It comes from Shakespeare or one of those old ginks; it means a kind of a moral guide, I suppose." "Oh," said Tom.
"But I need, I need, I need, I need a friend," Hervey said.
"You seem to have lots of friends down there," Tom said.
"A scout is observant, hey ?" Willetts laughed.
"I mean you always seem to have a lot of fellows with you," Tom said, ignoring the compliment.

"Everybody likes your troop, that's sure.

And your troop seems to be stuck on _you_." "_Good night!_" Hervey laughed.