With all her light-heartedness, which was sometimes termed “light-headedness,” Grace was fast developing a new sense, somewhat related to our old friend Common Sense.  Ever since she tried her girl scout knot in the woods, and had eventually received a real letter from the actual victim, she had been planning to “confess” to the other girls, and seek their advice.  First, she made up her mind to tell Madaline, as that friend already knew a part of the secret, but the fact that Cleo was credited with better judgment swayed her toward that counsel.  Then came such a succession of busy days, busy afternoons and busy evenings, Grace could find no available time for the portentous, confidential conventions of chums.  So no one but Benny had, as yet, heard anything of the mysterious letter found in the holly rock in River Bend Woods.

But this evening during all the scout ceremony Grace and her conscience were having a silent battle on the score of the prolonged secrecy.  Grace wished to wait a little while longer but her conscience fought for immediate confession.  Only the importance of Captain Clark’s speech seemed sufficiently strong to drag her attention from this mental conflict.

“In striving for honors,” the captain was now stating, “Girl Scouts must be careful to use prudence and wisdom.  It will not do to rush into personal danger to do something that may seem to be brave and noble, when a less hazardous means of accomplishing the same end may be found, if intelligently sought for.”

Grace sank back in her seat.  The captain’s eyes seemed to be directed straight at her!  Could anyone have told Captain Clark?

“All our special honor and merit badges are tokens of noble deeds, done for humanity according to the principles laid down by our rules, and explained in our manual, but none of these should be interpreted as involving unnecessary risk to us, or the use of our guns, our ropes, our staffs in any violence which might be avoided!”

“Ropes!” repeated Grace under her breath.  “We should not—­use—­our ropes—­”

“Grace!” whispered Madaline.  “See that big bunch of roses over there!”

“Yes!” nodded Grace.

“They are for Margaret Slowden when she gets her new merit badge, and nobody knows who sent them!”

“Uh-hum-m!” breathed Grace in assent.

When Captain Clark finished her practical talk, the ceremony of bestowing the substitute badge on Margaret was the nest feature of the evening’s exercises.

“You all recall our lovely ceremony on the evening of Margaret’s original presentation of her merit badge,” the captain said, “but this time we have merely to call attention to that great occasion and our minds are filled with its pleasant memories.  The noble deed done to acquire this badge was one of unusual heroism and peculiar wisdom,” she went on, “for Margaret stayed at her post in a dreary, lonely room, guarding her hats and cloaks with the same spirit of attention to duty which at that same hour was bringing her distinguished brother his consecrated D.S.C.  We will now pin upon Margaret’s breast—­a badge to take the place of that one, lost some time ago, and we all hope she will be doubly rewarded by the second badge of merit!”