"Yes, and I just _hate_ it," she said. "Just you wait a minute," she added, going into the house. She presently reappeared with an envelope large enough to contain a brief history of the world on its outside, and together she and Pee-wee made up the detailed address which, in Pee-wee's handwriting, was destined to astonish Postmaster Hiram Hicks, of Hicksville, North Carolina. CHAPTER XV WITHIN REACH "Maybe she'll get it, you can't tell," Pee-wee said as they took their way back to camp, the big envelope stuck under his belt, like a death warrant carried by some awful dignitary of old. "Anyway I'm glad we came because it will make Warde a first class scout." Pee-wee was strong for the scouts and the troop even though he looked with a kind of lofty scorn on the Silver Foxes. That Warde should become a first class scout was a matter of honest joy to him. "It was a full seven miles all right," said Roy, referring to the distance mentioned in the test, "so I guess you're as good as in the first class. I'm good and tired, I know that. You gave them good measure." "I bet you're proud," said Pee-wee. "I bet I am," Warde answered. "I feel like a real scout now. A fellow isn't a real scout till he gets into the first class." "Sprouts and scouts," said Roy. "When you write up your account don't forget to put down about my talking to that girl," said Pee-wee. "Oh I'll put everything down, don't you worry," said Warde, clearly elated at the thought that the coveted badge was as good as won. "Do you think I'm going to have Mr. E. going over the ground and putting anything over on me? Not so you'd notice it." "I bet Blythe will be glad," said Roy. "Oh boy! Won't he!" vociferated Pee-wee. "I can just see him smiling when I tell him about it," said Warde. "He knows a lot about scouting since he met me," Pee-wee informed them. "Anyway, maybe we killed two birds with one stone, hey? Maybe that fellow's mother will get the letter and we know Warde is a first class scout." "That shows what kind of a scout you are," said Roy; "throwing stones at birds." "You're crazy," Pee-wee said, "that's an adverb." "You mean a proverb," said Roy. "A lot you know about grammar; you don't know the difference between a proposition and an injunction. He thinks Boys' Life is a musical instrument because it's the scouts' official organ. You're lucky not to be wished onto the Ravens," he said to Warde. "I'm a full scout, that's all I'm thinking of," Warde laughed. "Well I'm an empty one," said Roy. "Same here," Pee-wee shouted. "I'm glad to see you agree about something," Warde laughed. He felt like laughing. He seemed to walk on air. "I'm an empty one, too," he added. "Let's hike back through Westwood and get something to eat there." "Carried by an unanimous majority," said Roy.