Sure, because I've got two sisters. And I bet they'd like
you, too. I bet they'd say you were good looking." Then he began to
laugh and he said, "Well, I bet I'd like them too, if they're anything
like you. So now will you keep your mouth shut? Ever hear of the
scouts' oath? The Indian scouts' oath, I mean--loyalty for better or
worser? Don't say I was here. Don't say you know anything about me.
Keep your mouth shut. If my name should be mentioned, keep still. You
don't know anything. Nobody was here, see?"

I said, "Suppose Mr. Ellsworth or somebody should ask me?"

"Who's going to ask you?" he said; "you say nothing and they'll say
nothing. I fought for my country, kiddo, and I've got two wounds. You
don't want to spoil it all for me now, do you?"

I said, "I bet you're brave, anyhow."

"I'd rather face two German divisions than what I've got to face
to-morrow," he said; "but if I know it's all right at this end, I won't
worry. Are you straight?"

"I wouldn't tell," I told him; "cracky, why should _I_ tell? And I can
see you've got a lot of trouble and you're not exactly all to blame,
anyway. Only I hope I'll see you again sometime because, anyway,
whatever you did I kind of like you. It's one of our laws that a fellow
has to be loyal. Only sometime will you tell me some of the things you
did--I mean your adventures?"

"I'll tell you all about the jungles and the man-eating apes down in
Central America," he said.

So then he went into the cabin in a big hurry and he took the key out
of his pocket and he opened the locker and took out his uniform. It was
all wrinkled and damp, but anyway, he looked fine in it, you can bet.
After he got it all on and fixed right, he stuffed his old clothes into
the place and locked it up again. I bet any girl would say he looked
fine, that's one thing sure.

Just before he climbed over the railing he put his hand in his pocket
and took out some change and he was in such a hurry that he dropped
some of it and it went all over the deck. I started to pick it up for
him, but he only said, "Never mind, let it go, you can have all you
find, and here's a quarter to get a couple of sodas."

I said, "We don't take anything for a service, scouts don't."

"Well, you can have a soda on me, can't you?" he said, trying to make
me take the quarter.

"If you want me to be loyal to you, I have to be loyal if I make a
promise, don't I?" I said.

He said, "What promise?"

And I said, "I c