"Now you're going to get into scraps, too," poor Skinny said. "You're going to call them kids and everything. Even if they make fun of me they're not mad at me." There was a grim look in Danny's eyes and a menacing sneer in his voice as he said, "_Is--that--so!_" In the lowering comment was real feeling for Skinny and a high contempt for Temple Camp and all its scouts. "You should worry, kid," he said. "Go on back and go to bed. All you've got to do is not notice me. Don't be coming around. Act just like if you didn't know me. All I want to do is just lay low for three or four days; I'll get away with it that long, don't worry. If you had the money I'd beat it, but I can't bang out of here without a red, and that bunch after me. What am I going to do? I know what's troubling you, kid. You think it's kind of like stealing, using up that what's-his-name's board money. You're a little brick, kiddo. But I'll only be here two or three days. And when he gets here next month--why these guys won't know till then there was anything phony about me! And _you_ won't be hooked up with it at all. Now trot along and turn in, Tiny, old pal." "Won't I see you any more after you go away from here? Maybe you'll go all the way around the world on a ship, hey?" "_Suuuuure_, you'll see me again. And you'll get paid back for your suit too. Don't I line up pretty nice as a boy scout. How do you do that--what is it, a salute they've got?" He wriggled his thumb against his ear in a funny way and laughed at Skinny and gave him an affectionate shove. "Go on back now or you'll be walking in your sleep," said he. "And whatever you do, don't let on when you see me again." "I can look at you, can't I?" said poor Skinny. CHAPTER VIII STEALTH Well, if it was for only two or three days it would not be so bad, poor Skinny reflected as he went back through the darkness. Still his conscience troubled him and he was beside himself with fear. The only gleam of light he saw in this sorry business was that Danny did have a way of succeeding in the things he undertook. He trusted Danny to avert the catastrophe which would naturally ensue in such a daring and perilous business. He hoped that during those dreadful two or three days the scouts at camp would not overstep their prerogative of banter where he was concerned. Or at least that Danny might not see them in full swing with their raillery. The historic Kinney of Irontown had got over the licking that Danny had given him. But poor Skinny had never got over it.