began adroitly, "and
don't know a single Girl Scout in town, and we are supposed to keep up
our activities. How do we get in the contest?"

"Who told you about it?" he asked, his face betraying the fatal boyish
weakness of succumbing to girls' flattering attention.

"Why, folks are talking about it, of course," went on Cleo sweetly. "It
promises to be a big event."

"Bet your life," and the secret spring had been tapped. "That will be
some event. We wanted to flash a surprise, but you being Girl Scouts, I
think you ought to be in it."

"Of course, we should," came a chorus.

"Tell you what I'll do. I'll propose it at to-night's meeting. I saw you
girls save the Bentley chap, and I know you're game," he said stoutly,
"so I don't see why not."

"Good for you, Tommie!" Helen wanted to cheer. "And when they put you up
for office, just let the True Treds know."

"That's right, Tommie," Cleo assured the blushing boy. "We'll see you
through."

And why shouldn't they? As Tommie said: "I don't see why not."

CHAPTER XVIII

THE WIG WAG RESCUE

"THEY'LL be sure to enjoy the shouting," Julia remarked, "but aside from
that, I don't see what interest spectators can possibly work up in a wig
wag contest."

"We almost agree with you, Julie," said Grace, "but don't you know
everything, including bad weather, is interesting at the beach?"

"All right, scouty, I'm glad of it, for I think it is going to be simply
great. And wasn't it splendid to get the sanction of headquarters?"

"Trust Cleo to take care of the official end," replied Grace. "Don't
forget to-day is the day, and the pier is the place."

Signs of activity about the life saving station always gathered a crowd,
and to-day the appearance of the men in uniform, pulling out the life
lines, hoisting the buoys and running the life boat down to the water,
drew more than the usual number of spectators.

It was Scout Day and everybody seemed to know it.

The boys having agreed to accept the challenge of the girls, in true
scout chivalry, now offered the girls every possible courtesy, even to
choice of place at which to stand for the wig wag try out.

It was arranged that Captain Dave's men were to row outside the fish
nets, and wait there for their code to be waved to them for a "wreck off
the hook." The exactness and quickness with which the message was waved
was to be judged by a committee of citizens with the mayor as the
honorary leader.

It had a