Page:The Keeper of the Bees.pdf/278

 “That’s the truth,” said Jamie. “That’s quite the truth.”

Their car came down the line and the Scout Master was on the platform before Jamie had really convinced himself that the number and destination were right and could follow suit. Again on the way home, the Scout Master frankly leaned over against Jamie and waited for his circling arm and went sound asleep until the point came that brought the inevitable awakening.

On the way near the hot-dog stand at a comer toward which Jamie felt a slight propulsion on landing from the car, he said to the Scout Master: “Do you know, youngster, you are doing what the big folks call ‘burning the candle at both ends’?”

To his amazement, the Scout Master tuned in:

“‘But ah, my foes! and oh, my friends! It makes a lovely light!’”

“That may be all right,” said Jamie, “and it may be a brand of philosophy that will do for grown folks, but that’s rotten for the kiddies. There isn’t anything you are doing that’s worth stunting your growth for.”

“Stunting my what?” said the Scout Master.

“I mean,” said Jamie, “that you are exercising too hard and sleeping too little, you are going such a pace that you are not as big and strong as you should be. You are on such a strain mastering those three big boys you play with that you are not getting the strength in your own arms and legs that they have in theirs. If you don’t