"Did you ever study algebra!" Danny queried. "Well, it's not exactly a part of scouting," said Holman. Danny, sitting on Holman's cot with his knees drawn up, pulled his hat down over his forehead, which gave him a sophisticated, even a tough, look. "But I had the fun of flopping around in the woods," said he. "You hike so fast you never see anything." "Make hay while the sun shines," said Holman in his businesslike way. "Why, you were telling me about following those marks and you came plunk on a rattlesnake; he's a pretty big one, I guess." "He was; he isn't any more," said Danny. "You've got to look out how you kill those fellows. But what I was going to say was, you could use that stuff on the stalking test if you wanted to. Did you have any witnesses?" "Only the rattlesnake and he's dead," said Danny. "I'm only telling you how you waste your chances," said Holman. "You can do things, all right, only you don't think. I heard a scout over at the Kit Carson tents say you jumped over Outlet Brook." "Yere?" "I've got it planned out so I can use one stunt on two tests." "Wholesale only, huh! What's that red book?" Danny asked, kicking it. "That? That's the English Handbook. I'll wager you that's the only one in camp. I guess you never even read the American one, do you?" "Oh, I gave it the once over; there's some pretty good dope in it. Ever think you'd like to make a stab for the Gold Cross?" "Life saving with imminent risk?" (Holman quoted accurately). "That's something pretty high up; that's out of the ordinary." "I was thinking I'd grab it--just for a stunt," said Danny. Holman shook his head, "That's one of the big things--that's the very biggest," said he. He knew all about it. "That's the one for me," said Danny. "I sort of don't like the way you refer to it," "That's the snappiest one in the book," said Danny. "Talking about books," said Holman, "you ought to look over this English Handbook; it's by General Baden-Powell. There's a section in it about deduction; deducing facts from clues and signs. Why you can even look at a scout's shoes and tell where he has been if you know how." "I don't care where's he's been," said Danny. "It's an interesting phase of scouting just the same." "Phase, huh? That's just detective stuff. You don't want to be one of those guys, do you?" "Oh, that's part of scouting--mental effort." "Yere?" "Now, for instance, I've noticed something. I even made a note of it." "I bet you did." "I don't believe there's a scout in this camp ever noticed that tattoo mark on your arm." Danny started. "Surprises you, eh!" Holman laughed. He did not often laugh. "Yes sir," he said in a way of small triumph, "I noticed it when you rolled up your sleeve; the time you reached down in the water after the compass that little big-eyed youngster is always losing. You rolled it away up--remember! I noticed. I said, 'That boy has known a sailor.' Now am I right?"