We were sitting in Bill's house at the time, to cheer him up a little because he couldn't go out without a crutch. "What's the matter with having the meeting here?" said Bill. "I don't suppose Mr. Norton will give me a badge because I haven't delivered his message yet, but I'd like to hear what the rest of you did. I can't get out for a few days. When I do, I'm going to North Adams and back, if it takes a whole leg. Believe me." "You did more than any of us," Benny told him, "badge or no badge." "I guess you won't chase over the mountain the next time," I said. "When you stick to the roads there don't anything happen." "Oh, there don't, don't they?" exclaimed Skinny. "Say, you fellers ought to have been with me. There was something doing every minute. Ma says it's a wonder that I'm alive. I've had awfully hard work to keep from telling about it." "Tell us about it now." "Not much, you wouldn't be able to sleep to-night. Besides, it might make Bill's ankle worse." "Great snakes!" said Bill. "There ain't anything the matter with me, only it hurts me to step on my foot. Come on, Skinny. Let's have it." "No-p. We've got to have a meetin' first." "Suppose that you have your meeting here to-night," said Mrs. Wilson, who had come into the room in time to hear what we were talking about. "Willie is a great deal better and I can have him take a nap to brace him for the story. If you boys will come around after supper you can meet right in this room, and perhaps, I don't say for sure, perhaps the neighbors will bring in some ice cream to quiet your nerves and make you sleep." "May we bring Mr. Norton?" I asked. "He is our Scoutmaster and he ought to be with us when we tell about the doings of the patrol." "Surely you can. He is coming, anyway. He sent word this morning that he would call to-night." We met at Skinny's a little before eight o'clock and went over in a bunch. On the way Skinny told us what to do. "When we get to the gate," said he, "let's stop and each one caw three times." "What for?" I asked. "We know that he is there; don't we? Besides Bill is sick. Maybe we'd better keep quiet." "Sick nothin'! He ain't any more sick than I am. He said so himself. He's hurt his ankle a little, that's all. Ankles can't hear, can they?" "Maybe it will cheer him up to hear us," I told him. "He can't get out, you know. It is hard to be cooped up in the house that way, and Fourth of July coming." "Anyhow," said Benny, "let's not all caw at once. We can take turns and it will not make so much noise." That was what we did, standing just outside the gate, where we could see a light streaming through an open window in Bill's room. Skinny led off with three. I followed, and the others in turn, ending with Benny. Skinny said that it sounded like the booming of minute guns in some battle or other, that he read about in a book.