"It's best always to carry potatoes with you," said Scoutmaster Safety First. "After this I'm always going to carry five or six," said Pee-wee. "The proof of the potatoes is in the eating," said Nick. "I know nine different ways to cook them," said Pee-wee; "and I can eat them raw so that makes ten. I can eat potato skins too, so that makes eleven." "If you could eat potato-bugs that would make twelve," said Charlie Norris. "If you eat lightning bugs, that will make you bright," said Pee-wee; "that's what Roy Blakeley says; he's in my troop. He's crazy and he says he's glad of it. We've got three patrols in my troop and I'm a member of the Ravens but I'm kind of in all of them. I know all about camping and everything. In the fall you're supposed to camp east of a hill, do you know why?" "No, break it to us gently," said Nick. "When you said _break it_, that reminded me that I can break an apple into halves with one hand." "Do tell," said Charlie; "what do you do with the other half?" "What other half?" "The other one." "If they're both the same how can there be another one? I eat them." "Really?" "I eat mushrooms too, only if they're toad-stools they kill you." "Why don't you eat a couple?" "I _will_ not, because you bet I'm going to stay alive. I'll show you how you can tell the difference when we get to that island. I'll show you a lot of things. Do you know how to pump water with a newspaper--rolled up? Gee, that's easy, I learned that when I was a tenderfoot." "What are you now, a second hand scout?" "I'm a first class scout and I'm a first aid scout and--Do you know how to make things out of peanut shells?" "Will you show us that, too?" "Sure, but anyway I never use chalk for scout signs; I use charred wood. Do you know why?" "Because chalk reminds you of school?" "Because it's got too much civilization in it." "Do they put that in it?" "No, but it's there. Gee whiz, I've got no use for civilization, I don't care what kind it is." "Well, what about that codger?" asked Scoutmaster Ned. "He said he read the signal?" "Sure, and he was the one that stopped us when that fellow ran away. Gee whiz, I didn't see any signal but I didn't look behind. Maybe he's just disguised as a rube, hey? Anyway, he stopped us, that's one sure thing, because we stopped and that proves it, doesn't it?" "There's nothing the matter with the road," Safety First repeated. "That's what has me guessing," said Scoutmaster Ned. "He couldn't have read the message, that little codger. He's just a poor, little country kid. I'd give a doughnut to know how he happened to put that rope across the road. He never, _never_ read that message, you can bet on that." "I know! I know!" vociferated Pee-wee. "He had a--a--inspiration. Give me the doughnut." CHAPTER XXXIII HARK! THE CONQUERING HERO COMES BACK