"Well, _I_ do," Westy said.

"I know I haven't seen much of you in the last couple of days," I told him; "but I don't want you to think it's because I don't care any more.

It was mostly because I was trying to help Skinny. Anyway, it's all over now. How did the fellows treat him to-day? If they'd known it was his last day, they'd have treated him decent, I bet."

"I didn't see him," Westy said; "I was hunting for you most all the afternoon."

"I'm going to stick by you closer after this," I said. "It was only because Bert Winton was, sort of--you know--"

"I know," Westy said, "everybody fell for him. I'm not blaming you."

"But anyway, I'm glad I've got you now," I told him; "we were always good friends, that's one sure thing. I'd feel mighty lonesome if I didn't have you."

"I never got jealous," Westy said; "I always knew how it was with us. I just went stalking with the Ravens--it was so kind of slow."

"It won't be that way any more," I told him; and I just almost had to gulp--gee, I don't know why. "Only a couple of nights ago I was flopping around like this with Bert Winton and now he's gone--he was a hero, that's sure--and you and I are together again."

"We heard you while we were at camp-fire," Westy said.

"Did you mind?" I asked.

"No, I didn't mind," he said.

"It's funny how two fellows get to be chums," I said.

Westy didn't say anything, only just rowed around. After a while he said, "He knew how to feather, that fellow did. I guess his troop will go home now, hey?"

"Maybe he turned and went back through the pa.s.sage and they'll find him all safe in the pit," Westy said.

"Nope," I told him; "the lake's different--everything is changed.

Skinny won the cross and he's dead. And Bert is dead. It doesn't make any difference what the camp thinks about Skinny now, because he won't know it. And even if they're sore still, Bert won't know it. They won't be back. Everything is changed."

"You just said you and I are not changed," Westy said.

Then we just rowed around and neither one of us said anything. It was awful dark and still.

"How do you suppose Skinny happened to get there?" I asked Westy.

"The flood carried him through," he said.

"But how did he happen to be in the cove? It couldn't have carried him through if he hadn't been in the cove," I said.

"Guess we'll never know that," I told him.

Then we rowed around some more and neither of us said anything.

"Look up there and see if you think that's a lantern," Westy said, after a while.

"Yes, it is," I said, "they're coming back." And then my heart began to thump.

"I bet they've got them and that everything's all right," Westy said; "I kind of think so by the way the lantern is swinging."

Pretty soon we saw another light and then another one; and then I could hear some of the fellows talking and hear twigs crunch under their feet as they scrambled down. I didn't dare to call them, but Westy called.

"Any news? Are they all right?"

"Who's there?" a fellow called.

"Two fellows from Bridgeboro troop," Westy shouted. "Have you got them?

Any news?"

Just then a fellow came scrambling down and stood on the sh.o.r.e. "The whole blamed pit has fallen in," he said; "it's just a pile of rocks and mud. It's filled up to within six or eight feet of the surface.

Just collapsed. Must have been some flood over that way."

CHAPTER x.x.xIV

TELLS ABOUT THE STRANGE FIGURE

I didn't want to see them and I didn't want to hear anything more. I just said, "I knew it," to Westy, but all the while I knew I had been hoping all to myself. And now I couldn't even do that.

"I don't want to talk to them," I said; "Let's row along the north sh.o.r.e and go home the long way. I don't want to go back yet. I just want to stay on the lake with _you_!"

Westy said, "Just as you say."

"Row along the north sh.o.r.e," I said, "I'd rather be here in the dark."

"Just as you say," he said, awful nice and friendly like.

We could hear them rowing across and talking. The lanterns looked like two little stars. One fellow said it would take a week to clear out the pit. I heard Mr. Elting say, "It must have happened as soon as he crawled into that pa.s.sage, because the pa.s.sage surely didn't go far."

"Now are you satisfied?" I said to Westy; "you see how I'm to blame. I though it could be a mile long."

"Winton thought so too," Westy said.

"I wouldn't listen to anything against him--not now," I said. Anyway, I knew he couldn't be saved--I just did. Then I said, "Westy, Bert and I were going to square Skinny. We were going to prove he didn't take the money. And we were going to see he got the cross. I never heard you say what you thought. All I know is what everyone in camp thinks. But listen. If a fellow is willing to give up his life, as Bert did, trying to prove a fellow innocent--if he's just willing to give up doing everything else--he sat on the top of his troop cabin--he did--and said to me--"

"Don talk," Westy said; "just sit still and let me row you around. Hear that night hawk?"

"Then doesn't that prove that he's innocent?" I asked him. "Any fellow with any sense can see that. You needn't tell me what you think--but the--the gold cross isn't dead--it isn't--and a fellow can--he can win it after he's dead--and those Elks--"

"Listen," Westy said; "there's somebody on sh.o.r.e."

"What do I care?" I said.

He said, "I know, but maybe it's the Gold Dust Twins. If they came home through the open country, they'd be sure to hit the lake at the wrong spot. Maybe they're looking for their camp. Let's get closer in, anyway."