"Pee-wee," said Roy, "don't try to tell me--that can wait. Listen, kiddo. We're in the same boat, you and I. We each wrote a letter that we shouldn't have written, but yours was received and mine wasn't--thanks to Tom. We've got to forget about both those letters, Pee-wee. I was ashamed of mine before I'd finished writing it. There's no good talking about it now. You're with us because we want you with us, not because Mary Temple wanted it, but because _I_ want you and Tom wants you; do you hear? You know who it is that's always doing something for someone and never getting any credit for it, don't you? It's Tom Slade. He saved me from being a crazy fool--from sending that letter to Mary. And I came to my senses the next day. He tracked you to that car, only it always seems to work around so that someone else gets all the glory. It makes me feel like a---- Listen to them over there now, talking about _signaling_. Pee-wee, you gave us an awful scare. It didn't seem natural on top of the cabin last night without you--you little mascot! We're not going to have another word to say about this, kid--I'm your patrol leader, remember. We're going to hit it straight for camp now--the three of us--the Big Three--and you're with us because we can't do without you. Do you get that?" "Roy," said Pee-wee, speaking with difficulty. "I--I had an--adventure." "Well, I should think you did." CHAPTER XIII TEMPLE CAMP The scouts of the village stood upon the wharf and waved a last good-bye to the three as the _Good Turn_ chugged merrily away. "I'm going to give that fellow the full salute," said Tom, raising his hand to his forehead. "He's a wonder." The scouts on shore received this tribute to their comrade with shouts, throwing their hats in the air and giving three lusty cheers for the "Silver Foxes and the Elks" as the launch, swerving out into midstream, bent her course for Catskill Landing. "He sure is a wonder," said Roy. "I told him all about you," chimed in Pee-wee, "and all the stunts you can do." "He seems to be prouder of his Ford jokes than of his signal work," laughed Roy. "He----" "Oh, crinkums, he knows some dandy Ford jokes, and his wrist is so strong from paddling that he can stick a shovel in the ground and turn it around with one hand; oh, he's got that paddle twist down fine, Roy; but, gee, he says you're all right; even before you came he said that; as soon as I told him who it was that signaled----" "Do you think they'll come up?" Roy interrupted. "Sure they will; I told them all about the camp and how they could have a cabin to themselves--they're only a small troop, one patrol, and he wants to know you better; gee, I told him all about you and how you could----" "All right, kiddo," laughed Roy. "They're coming up in August. Say, that fellow's got eleven merit badges, but the one thing he's crazy to get is the gold cross." "He'll get it," said Tom, who had been wiping the engine.