Part 18 (1/2)

As they ran alongside the wharf the khaki-clad signaler greeted them with the scout salute.

”Pretty brisk out on the water this morning?” he said. ”We got your message--we were out canoeing last night; you use the International code, don't you?”

”Have you got him?” Roy asked anxiously.

”Oh, yes, he's here; pulled in somewhere around midnight, I guess. He stayed all night with one of our troop; he's up there now getting his breakfast. Great kid, isn't he?” he laughed. ”He was telling us about rice cakes. We're kind of out of date up here, you know. I was a little balled up on your s.p.a.cing,” he added as they went up the wharf. ”I haven't got the International down very good. Yes, we were drifting around, a couple of us, telling Ford jokes, when you sprung it on us.”

”Have you got the signaling badge?” said Roy.

”Oh, yes, I managed to pull that; I'm out for the star now.”

”You'll get it,” said Tom.

”Is the kid all right?” Roy asked.

”Oh, sure; but he had some pretty rough handling, I guess. It was quite a little movie show when we dragged the other one out. Lucky the station agent and the constable were there. He's up there now waiting for the men from Ossining.”

Through the surging crowd Tom and Roy could see, sitting on a bench at the station, a man in convict garb, with his hands manacled together and a guard on either side of him. In the broad light of day he was a desperate-looking creature, as he sat with his ugly head hanging low, apparently oblivious to all about him.

”I don't understand,” said Roy.

”Didn't you know about him?”

”Not a thing--except we did know someone got away from Sing Sing the other night--but we never thought----”

”Didn't you know he was in the same car? That's why the little fellow couldn't get away. He'd have come back to you, sure.”

Roy doubted it, but he said nothing and presently the mystery was cleared up by the arrival on the scene of Pee-wee himself, accompanied by several scouts. They were laughing merrily and seemed greatly elated that the boat had come; but Pee-wee was rather embarra.s.sed and held back until Roy dragged him forward.

”Kiddo,” said he, looking straight into the boy's face, ”the _Good Turn_ couldn't have lived another day without you. So you did hit the railroad after all, didn't you? Gee, it's good to see you; you've caused us more worry----” he put his arm over Pee-wee's shoulder and turned away with him, and the others, being good scouts, had sense enough not to follow.

”Pee-wee,” said Roy, ”don't try to tell me--that can wait. Listen, kiddo. We're in the same boat, you and I. We each wrote a letter that we shouldn't have written, but yours was received and mine wasn't--thanks to Tom. We've got to forget about both those letters, Pee-wee. I was ashamed of mine before I'd finished writing it. There's no good talking about it now. You're with us because we want you with us, not because Mary Temple wanted it, but because _I_ want you and Tom wants you; do you hear? You know who it is that's always doing something for someone and never getting any credit for it, don't you? It's Tom Slade. He saved me from being a crazy fool--from sending that letter to Mary. And I came to my senses the next day. He tracked you to that car, only it always seems to work around so that someone else gets all the glory. It makes me feel like a---- Listen to them over there now, talking about _signaling_. Pee-wee, you gave us an awful scare. It didn't seem natural on top of the cabin last night without you--you little mascot! We're not going to have another word to say about this, kid--I'm your patrol leader, remember. We're going to hit it straight for camp now--the three of us--the Big Three--and you're with us because we can't do without you. Do you get that?”

”Roy,” said Pee-wee, speaking with difficulty. ”I--I had an--adventure.”

”Well, I should think you did.”

CHAPTER XIII

TEMPLE CAMP

The scouts of the village stood upon the wharf and waved a last good-bye to the three as the _Good Turn_ chugged merrily away.

”I'm going to give that fellow the full salute,” said Tom, raising his hand to his forehead. ”He's a wonder.”

The scouts on sh.o.r.e received this tribute to their comrade with shouts, throwing their hats in the air and giving three l.u.s.ty cheers for the ”Silver Foxes and the Elks” as the launch, swerving out into midstream, bent her course for Catskill Landing.

”He sure is a wonder,” said Roy.