"They're not so good for dancing or scrapping." "That's the way you talk, and it's why fellows can't make you out," said the simple Skinny. "Well, as long as you can make me out it's all right," said Danville. "How 'bout it, are you going to help me?" "Will you let me! You mean getting your first class badge? Are you going to do it?" "Might as well, hadn't I?" "And that's all you've got to do? I mean just test four?" "N--no, I've got two things to do," said Danville as he paddled idly, occasionally letting the paddle drip. "This scouting is a blamed nuisance." "Now I can tell you're fooling. Kind of sometimes you remind me of my brother, only he's only a half a brother. Anyway, you're not so fresh like he is. He gets in a lot of trouble being reckless." "That's the way to do it," said Danville. "Where's the other half of him?" "I mean we got different mothers," said Skinny. "Once a feller got fresh with me and he knocked him kerplunk. Another feller----" He was about to stumble into a reference to Danny's pugilistic exploit at camp, but caught himself just in time. He could not trust himself talking about Danny, and it made him feel false and dishonorable, so he changed the subject. "Only just one test you've got to take to be in the first class? Two, you said two." "Yep, the other's missionary stuff, training a boy to be a tenderfoot--twelve. I'm not so stuck on twelve except when it's twelve gumdrops for a cent. You don't happen to know any boys that want to be trained as tenderfoots or feets, whatever it is? I suppose we might kidnap one from a farm. But first how about Test Four? Tell me about that seven mile hike, or if it turns out to be any more than seven miles the boy scouts will have to give me a rebate. I've been climbing up the Alps this summer and I'm tired." "Those are in Europe, hey?" "And they're up in the air--in Switzerland. Where is this lion's den or whatever you call it? Maybe I could go in a taxi. I've got to do it before my dad comes up or I won't be able to stick him for a pony next winter." "I can never make out whether you're honest and true for scouting or not," poor Skinny said. "Oh, I'm honest and true," said Danville. "Tell me and let's plan it out and get it over with." "You got to be serious about it," Skinny warned. "All right, I'll start crying if you say so. As I understand it I've got to hike seven miles and seven miles back and write up an account of it--all the time being serious. Now is this cave just exactly seven miles? I don't want to make that hike and then find I didn't go far enough. And if I should find I hiked farther than necessary I'd be good and mad at you. I'm not going to give them any more than they ask for; I'm a stingy chap." "Is it a real pony--a live one!" Skinny asked. "If it isn't I'll have my dad arrested for swindling." "Would you have anybody arrested?"