k Lake, that's where it is.
Don't you suppose he had something better to do with himself when he
was saving that gold dust twin, than to be going through his pockets?"

"I'm sure I would," Vic Norris said.

"_You!_" I said, "you couldn't even have held him up in the water and
you know plaguy well you couldn't--there's not one of you that could.
If you thought more about what he was doing out there in all that storm
with his teeth in that fellow's sweater and his hand being blamed near
bitten off, it would be better for _you_. All _you're_ thinking about
is getting the gold cross into your patrol. What do you suppose _he_
cares about money--a fellow that can do things like that? It's these
jelly-fish that go camping with a whole savings bank in their pockets
and no shovel to dig a drain ditch with--that's the kind that think
about money! You make me sick. Turn your pockets inside out, Alf, and
let them see what you've got--go ahead!"

All the while Mr. Ellsworth kept saying, "Shh, shh, Roy," but what did
I care? Even he couldn't stop me.

"What's _he_ got to do with it, anyway?" Connie said to Mr. Ellsworth,
"I don't see as it's any of _his_ business."

"Well," I said, "I'll _make_ it my business. You've got the kid so
nervous and scared, that he can't even find his pockets, he--"

"Just a moment, Roy," Mr. Ellsworth said. "You mustn't forget yourself.
You have done our friends across the lake an injustice."

"When I get through doing Skinny _justice_, it will be time enough to
think of _them_," I said. Oh, boy, I was mad.

Mr. Ellsworth said, "We have no wish to search Alfred, Roy. Why all
this anger?"

"Because I've heard enough hints and insinuations around this camp,
that's why!" I said. Jiminy, I could just feel my voice tremble.

Poor Skinny was fumbling at one of his pockets and he was so scared and
nervous, that he couldn't get his hand in even. So I just stepped over
and pulled his pocket inside out.

[Illustration: I STEPPED OVER AND PULLED HIS POCKETS INSIDE OUT.]

"Four pennies," I said, "see? Poor but honest, hey, Alf?" And I gave
him a good rap on the shoulder. I guess it made him feel good, because
he smiled at me even though he did look scared.

Then one after another I pulled all his other pockets inside out, and
last I turned out the flap pockets in his khaki shirt. Just as I did
that, a key fell out.

"Four cents and a key," I said; "now are you satisfied?"

"We never said he had it,"