e, after all, is our
Safety work?"

"That's so. It really is all working in the same direction, isn't it?"
agreed Bob. "Chance Carter's oldest brother is studying to be an
efficiency engineer--perhaps he can give us some ideas."

"Then--you really do mean to get busy and organize the Safety Scouts of
America?"

"Mean it!" Bob and Betty fairly shouted the words in their eagerness to
get to work. And as Sure Pop said good night to them, there was a joyous
light in his eye which showed his plan was working out just as he had
thought it would.

He smiled a satisfied smile as the door closed on the excited Dalton
twins. "And now," said Colonel Sure Pop to himself, "_now_, we're
getting down to business!"

_Enlist now! We fight to save life, not
to take it._
--SURE POP

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

ADVENTURE NUMBER THIRTEEN

DALTON PATROL

The next few weeks were busy ones for Bob and Betty Dalton. The plan was
a big one--the Safety Scouts of America. Growing out of an idea planted
by Colonel Sure Pop, it sprouted and grew surprisingly fast. Already the
news was spreading like wildfire among the boys and girls all over the
city.

Joe Schmidt was out again, his head as good as ever. George Gibson,
always brim full of energy and enthusiasm, had set his heart on becoming
a Safety Scout Master and heading a troop of his own. Even Chance
Carter, hobbling about on crutches, had caught the fever of Safety
Scouting and was making all sorts of plans as to what he would do when
his broken leg got well.

Chance really had changed, somehow. The twins supposed it was all due to
his accident, but the real reason was Colonel Sure Pop. Chance seemed
almost magnetized by the little Colonel and never lost a chance to be
near him.

"Honestly now, Colonel," he owned up to Sure Pop one day, "I'd read so
many stories about reckless heroes and all that, I got in the habit of
thinking I had to be reckless. Story books seem to make out that it's a
brave thing to risk your life--and wasn't that exactly what Bob did when
he found that live wire?"

Sure Pop laid an understanding hand on Chance's shoulder.

"Listen, Chance! You've caught only half the point, that's your main
trouble. It _is_ a manly thing to take a risk--_when it's necessary_.
When somebody's life is in danger, it's the manliest thing on earth to
take a risk for the sake of saving it.