Mr. Ellsworth said he didn't know about that and he looked kind of surprised. I should worry, I wasn't scared now. "Suppose he's on his way to obey Law 8 and keep his word and be loyal to his troop and his scoutmaster," I said. "That's Law 8, isn't it?"

Mr. Ellsworth looked surprised and said, "yes." And Mr. Bennett was smiling with and awful funny kind of a smile.

"And suppose while he's on his way he runs plunk into another law.

Goodnight! What's he going to do? Maybe you don't know which law I mean by another one. It's number 3, and I can say it without even looking at the book. Even if they elect--"

I guess Mr. Ellsworth could see my voice was I trembling, because he said, "Take your time, Roy, you have us interested."

I have to admit I was feeling bad, but anyway I said the law right off without looking at the book.

3. A SCOUT IS HELPFUL.

He must be prepared at any time to save life, help injured persons, and share the home duties. He must do at least one good turn to somebody everyday.

"Maybe you never noticed that the part about good turns is printed in italics. You know what italics mean--you learn that in the Second Grade.

It means that that special thing IS emphasized, see?"

Mr. Ellsworth was smiling a little, but anyway he was listening and so was Mr. Bennett. Gee, I didn't see anything to smile at.

Now I have to admit that I got kind of excited and I didn't know much what I was saying.

Sometimes I had to stop on account of that lump being in my throat. But anyway, I kept on and I held on tight to my emblem--the Silver Fox emblem.

"So that's what I mean," I said, "and, this morning Westy was on his way to help on the house-boat and he met" (oh, jiminies, I guess I didn't know how I was talking now, I was so excited) "and he met Skinny McCord's mother and she told him about Skinny being sick on account of a good turn he did for me--keeping Jake Holden from going to my house--and she asked him to go up and stay with him and he didn't think any more about the house-boat, and I'm glad he didn't, and I told him that, and I'm his patrol leader yet, anyway. I tell him that, I do! And he went home and got his baseball and his catching mitt and it cost a dollar and seventy-five cents, and he took them to Skinny just so as he'd kind of forgot being sick. Westy saved up to get that mitt and I know all about it. And he stayed all day with Skinny and the doctor says, he says Skinny has got to die, but anyway Westy stayed all day with him--that's what he did. And I'm glad you fellows are going to elect a new leader if you want him to reprimand Westy, be cause you'd never get me to do it, I can tell you that!"

Oh, crink.u.ms, there wasn't a sound. It had to stop because I was gulping and all excited, but I started again, you can bet.

"And there's only one thing more I've got to say," I told them. "I got on the trail--I mean Skinny's trail. And it took me to his house in Barrel Alley. I picked up his trail down at Little Landing and it had the scout's pathfinder sign printed in the mud. And I--I'm--I'm a scout, I am, I don't care what you say, and I followed it. And maybe, for all you know, it was put there, for me to follow-maybe. It took me to where a fellow was sick, it did, and it showed me one of my own--one of the Silver Foxes, doing a good turn to pay Skinny back for the good turn he did for me. And I stayed there to help and I forgot all about the house-boat, and I'm glad I did. And I hope that whoever these fellows elect, he won't let them chip in for the cruise, but I hope he'll have them chip in to send Skinny up to the country--I don't care what the doctor says. Once a doctor said that--he said that my father--"

And that's all I had a chance to say. Gee, I couldn't tell you what happened next. All I know is, I heard my Scout Handbook go kerflop on the floor and Vic Norris of the Ravens grabbed the Silver Fox emblem right out of my hand and began waving it. All of a sudden I saw Westy and he didn't say anything only put his arm around my shoulder and he started to say something and, oh, I don't know, he just couldn't. Then I heard a fellow asking him what was the matter, because he was husky, kind of, and his eyes shiny-you know. And he said he had a cold. Oh, boy!

"He caught cold from drinking out of a damp gla.s.s," Doc Carson shouted.

Honest, you couldn't hear yourself think. And Pee-wee--g--o--o--d night!

Then Mr. Ellsworth held up his hand and we all quieted down.

"Before we go any further," he said, "and while our lungs are working overtime I want every member of the Raven Patrol and every member of the Elk Patrol to give three cheers for the Silver Foxes, scouts, real scouts, everyone of them, and for their leader, Roy Blakeley. After that you can hold your election."

CHAPTER XIX

THE END OF THE MEETING

Oh, boy, some excitement! "Excuse me while I blush," I said. For they were all shouting and Pee-wee was on top of the table dancing and yelling, "Hurrah for the Solid Silver Foxes! Three cheers for the Sterling Silver Foxes!" Believe me, that kid is self-starting, but he isn't self stopping.

Then I told them that I had something more to say, and they shouted it was their turn to do the saying, and believe me, they did--with something left over. At last Mr. Ellsworth got us throttled down and he told me to say what I had to say, because Mr. Bennett had a word or two for us.

So I told them my idea that I'd had in my head all the time, and you just wait and see how many adventures it led to. That's one good thing about good turns; they most always start something. Already Pee-wee was started.

I told them I thought instead of keeping Tom Slade's place open, kind of in memory of him, it would be better to put Skinny McCord in that vacant place and take him up to Temple Camp and help him to get well. Then I told them how he read the Handbook, and how he was crazy about scouting, only he was scared of the fellows because he was so poor. And then I said that findings is keepings and that Skinny belonged to the Silver Foxes, and they would make a present of him to the Elks on account of Tom Slade.

"Anyway," I said, "when Tom gets back he'll be old enough for a.s.sistant scoutmaster, so it's all right."

Then Mr. Ellsworth said, "Very good," and that Councilman Bennett had something to say. This is what he said, because Mr. Ellsworth wrote it out for me, and he remembered almost just how it was. Oh, but he's one fine man--Mr. Bennett--he's on some kind of a board and he helped build the hospital and he likes the scouts and he wishes he could shin up a tree--he said so. So this is what he said.

"My young friends, I have listened with a good deal of something or other (it's too much bother to spell it out) to our young leader of the Silver Foxes, and I must say that the Silver Foxes are solid fourteen karat gold. I am a lawyer myself and I wish to express my professional admiration of the way Leader Blakeley presented his case."

"The pleasure is mine," I said under my breath, because I just couldn't help it.

Then he said like this--he said, "If Skinny McCord wishes to cast his lot with such boys as these, he shall not find the means lacking. I will furnish his suit and such sundries as he needs. I agree with Leader Blakeley that doctors are sometimes mistaken. Let us hope it may be the case in this instance. The cruise to camp must be made; let nothing interfere with that. If some of you boys wish to go into the city in the morning you may have the pleasure of purchasing Skinny's outfit. I would suggest that the Silver Foxes do this in order that their gift may go complete to their comrades of the Elks.

I think I have your scoutmaster's permission to do this."

"Sure you have!" Pee-wee shouted.

"We'll go in on the 9 A. M. train," Westy said.

"What time does the 9 A. M. train leave?", Pee-wee shouted. "Oh, but it's great!" He was half crazy.

"The nine o'clock train leave at 8.60," I told him, "and you have to get a transfer--"

"To what line?" he shouted.

"To the clothesline," I said.

"You make me sick!" he yelled, "You haven't got any what--do--you--call--it--hero--something or other--"

"That talk will have to be strained through a sieve," I said. "Don't mind him, Mr. Bennett, somebody's been feeding him meat. He goes to the movies too much. He's known as the human megaphone. All step up and listen to the Raving Raven rave--only a dime, ten cents, ladies and gentlemen!"

Even Mr. Bennett had to laugh.

"Now all we've got to have is a girl," Pee-wee shouted, "because we've got a poor lad--I mean--you know what I mean--n.o.ble poverty and a boat and heroes doing good turns--"

"And Ravens turning somersaults," I said.

"And all that," he kept up, "and Roy foiled his prosecuters--I mean persecuters--"

"You mean executers," Doc said.

"And all we need now is a heroine," Pee-wee said, while he danced up and down. "A poor girl--I mean a maiden--with gold hair--if we could only rescue one--oh, wouldn't it be great."

"Even if her hair was only gold-filled it would be something," Connie Bennett said.

"You're crazy!", Pee-wee shouted, "it shows none of you know anything about stories."

Oh, jiminy, I can't tell all the stuff we shouted. You see, it was just because we were feeling so good. And Mr. Ellsworth didn't try to stop us. The next chapter is about two dollars. I don't mean it's worth that much. I don't know what I'll name it yet.

Olive oil*--that's the French way to say, "So long." Anyway, it's something like that. I should worry.