ed first prize," exclaimed Nipper Knapp. Then he
shouted, "Hi, fellows, we win, and we'll have our motorboat Whoope-e-e-e!
Three cheers." And all, including the men, joined in:
"Hip--hip--hoo-ray!" the noise of which didn't bother the moths in the
least as they kept on fluttering toward the light and disappearing into
the trap.

CHAPTER X

THE BOY FROM ARIZONA

"Say, fellows, I have the idea we--"

"Jiminy!" interrupted Jiminy Gordon. "Romper's got an idea--first he ever
had in his life. Come, spit it out, and if it isn't any better than the
rest we've been listening to, we'll maul you--won't we, fellows?"

"Bet we will," said Bud Weir.

"We'll duck him in the creek," threatened Nipper Knapp.

"Come on there, young man, let us know what's in your cranium. None of
the rest of us has been able to get even the glimmer of an intelligent
suggestion," said Bruce Clifford.

"Well, here it is," said Romper, getting to his feet. "We'll furnish a
climax to our part of the Fourth of July celebration by presenting
Woodbridge with a city flag--we'll make the suggestion, get it approved by
the village council, have old Granny Mastin make it and pres--"

"Hi, hi, not so fast--you're rushing along like a train of cars--trying to
dodge that ducking, aren't you? Now, slower--what's this idea? What do
you mean by a city flag? Never heard of such a thing before," said Ray
Martin.

"Huh, you haven't? Well, you're a fine scout. Don't you ever read the
papers?" said Romper with disgust.

"I've heard of it," interrupted Bruce, "and it's a bully suggestion. A
number of American cities have flags--a distinctive ensign, just like
patrol flags that we scouts have. New York has just adopted one, and I
can't see why Woodbridge shouldn't have a flag of her own. Romper's idea
is a corker. We can suggest a flag and get the approval of the
Woodbridge council. Then on the Fourth we can present it to the city and
have grand old celebration. Romper deserves a vote of thanks instead of
a ducking."

In truth, Romper had piloted Quarry Troop out of a most trying dilemma.
Here is how matters stood before he suddenly became inspired: Woodbridge
had been planning a safe and sane Fourth of July celebration, with a
pageant, municipal night fireworks and various other forms of a good
time. All of which was to take place at the Firemen's Tournament Field
on the outskirts of the town. Quarry Troop had been invited to give an