on."

"I'm going to try, anyhow," was the sharp retort. "It's better than doing
nothing."

As he dashed past Dale and disappeared into a neighboring house, the boy
moved slowly forward. He splashed through a puddle, and something he
had read, or heard, came back to him. Water was a perfect conductor,
and he had been standing in a regular pool of it when he grabbed the
child. No wonder he had been shocked.

"Insulation," he murmured, his head still swimming. "That's it! The
handbook says--"

The bag of papers bumped against his thigh, and somehow Dale's numbed
brain began to clear swiftly. How could he have forgotten that paper was
a non-conductor as well as silk or rubber? Rubber! Why, the bag itself
was made of some kind of waterproof stuff. He thrust aside a half-grown,
gaping youth.

"Give me a show, can't you?" he cried almost fiercely. Thrilled,
exhilarated with a sudden sense of power, he jerked the bag off his
shoulder. "The kid'll never live if he waits for you fellows to do
something." With extraordinary swiftness he pulled out several
thicknesses of newspaper and wrapped them about one hand and arm.
Similarly swathing the other, he dropped the rubber-coated bag to the
ground and stepped squarely on it. His eyes were wide and almost black
with excitement. "Oh, cut that out!" he snapped over one shoulder to a
protesting bystander. "Don't you s'pose I _know_ what I'm doing? I'm a
scout!"

A second later he had gripped the unconscious child again by an arm and
shoulder. This time there was no shock, only a queer, vibratory tingling
that Dale scarcely noticed, so intent was he on doing the right thing.
He must not bungle now. He remembered perfectly what the book said
about releasing a person in contact with a live wire. It must be done
quickly and cleanly, without unnecessary tugging, or else the shock
and burning would be greatly increased. Dale braced his feet and drew a
long breath. Then, suddenly, he jerked backward with all the strength
he could summon. The next thing he knew he was sitting squarely in a
puddle with both arms around the child, whose grip on the deadly wire he
had broken.

Instantly the hitherto inactive group was roused to life and movement,
and amidst a Babel of talk and advice they surged around the unconscious
lad and his rescuer. Before the latter realized what had happened, some
one had snatched the little chap from him and started swiftly toward
one of the near-by houses. Afte