They didn't even yell when they saw us, they were so nearly winded, but Bill, being corporal, ran up to Skinny, gave the Scout salute, and then whirled his club around his head three times. It was great to see them come up that way, every Scout whirling his club and all out of breath. Skinny's eyes shone like stars, he was so proud, and I saw Ma looking out of a window, surprised some, I guess. "Show 'em to us!" yelled Bill, as soon as he could speak. "We'll eat 'em up." "You'll get all the eating you want in about five minutes," Skinny told him. "Where are they?" yelled Bill again, while the other boys marched up and stood in a row, each with his club in the air. "You are crazy," said Skinny. "Where's who?" "The Gingham Ground Gang. Didn't you tell us the Gang was after you and for us to come quick?" "Not much. I said supper was ready and that if you didn't get a move on yourselves you would lose out." "Ain't there going to be a fight?" Just then Ma came out and it was a good thing she did, because there might have been a fight, after all. "Boys," said she, smiling at us, "you are all invited to stay to supper, and you will just about have time to wash up and cool off a little. We are having supper early to-night. I was so disappointed when I found out that you had gone that your patrol leader, Captain Miller, told me that he would signal to you and that Corporal Wilson would get you here on time if he had to run his legs off. I don't exactly see how he did it but you are here, that is certain. I've let your folks know, so you can stay just as well as not, unless you don't like my cooking." When she said that the boys set up a shout, for they knew all about Ma's cooking. "I wish you would tell me how you do it," she added, turning back as she was going into the house. "If your secretary would come like that when I call him, I should be the proudest woman in the village." CHAPTER V A CAMPFIRE ON BOB'S HILL "JEE-RUSALEM, fellers," said Skinny a few days later, "we're going to have a campfire to-night on Bob's Hill. Mr. Norton, the Scoutmaster, is going to be there, and he says for us not to eat too much supper because there will be something doing along about eight o'clock. It will beat the Fourth of July." We hardly could wait for evening to come. The folks thought that I must be sick because I didn't want much supper, until I told them about the campfire. "You'd better eat a bowl of bread and milk, anyhow," said Ma. "If I know anything about boys, and I have seen a few in my day, you will be ready for another meal by eight o'clock." I don't know how it is, but things always seem to happen just as Ma says they will. Long before eight o'clock came we were waiting for Mr. Norton at our house, as hungry as bears. After a while he came along, lugging a big basket and wearing a smile that would have made us warm to him if we never had before.