e the money, that was what clinched it--
that's what _I_ think. Anyway, that's what Bert told me. He said that
was what started Camp McCord.

Skinny was all bunged up but, oh, boy, you should have seen the scout
smile when he saw me. If that smile had been any longer it would have
cut his head off. He said he was a hero, and that he had a camp of his
own now. Poor little duffer, he didn't mean to be boasting; it was only
that funny way he had.

Westy and Bert and I took a little walk and I said, "The only trouble
is, suppose we shouldn't get the letter. Maybe the money doesn't belong
to the lieutenant. Then what?"

"Well then, we'll find out who it does belong to, that's what," Bert
said. "Camp McCord doesn't strike its colors as easily as all that. Mr.
What's-his-name back?"

I told him no, Mr. Ellsworth wasn't back yet. Then I said, "Maybe
Lieutenant Donnelle was sent away; maybe he had to go to South Africa
on account of the League of Nations. I read that the Zulu's were having
a war."

"You're a regular Calamity Jane," Bert said; "can't you think of
something better than that to worry about?"

CHAPTER XXXVIII

TELLS ABOUT THE SCOUT PACE

We had it fixed that as soon as I got a letter I would start right down
to Camp McCord with it. And, oh, boy, didn't I hang around
Administration Shack, where the camp mail was sorted. I guess my patrol
thought I was crazy and I bet that robin in the maple tree wondered
what had become of me. Gee, you can say I was a Calamity Jane if you
want to, but honest, I had Lieutenant Donnelle sent all over the world.
One minute I was saying he was dead, and the next minute I was saying
he had gone to Russia, and the next minute I was saying the money
wasn't his at all. Then I was saying that he'd be mad, because I told
Bert about him and wouldn't send any answer at all. Then I'd get to
thinking about Bert and that would kind of cheer me up; because he was
so sure.

Three days went by and no letter came. Every time they handed me a
letter I'd be shaky all over till I saw who it was from, and then I'd
just be all down and out when I'd see it was from my mother or my
father. Even the letters with my allowance in didn't make me feel good,
so you can see from that how anxious I was.

All the fellows around camp didn't say much about Skinny. They thought
he was just a little thief, but anyway, they weren't the kind of
fellows to be always talking about it. They had something else