w
nobody ever gets into danger here--or imperils his life, as Pee-wee
would say. I'm going to put a notice up on one of the trees and get you
to read another at mess with the regular announcements: Wanted; by scout
seeking honor medal; someone willing to imperil his life. Suitable
reward. Apply Temple Camp pavilion. Signed, Would-be Hero."

Tom laughed.

"I'm like old What's-his-name, Caesar. Ready to do the conquest act, but
nothing more to conquer. Believe me, it's no cinch being a would-be
hero. Couldn't you get bitten by a rattlesnake on one of your tracking
stunts? Get your foot on him, you know, and he'll be wriggling and
squirming to get his head free, and his cruel fangs will be within an
inch of your ankle and you'll just begin to feel them against your
stocking----"

"Don't," laughed Tom.

"When all of a sudden I'll come bounding out of the thicket, and I'll
grab him by the head and force his cruel jaws shut and slip an elastic
band around his mug. That ought to pull the silver cross, hey? And I and
my faithful followers would get three extra weeks in camp."

"Would you like to stay longer?" Tom asked.

"Foolish question, number three million. Haven't we had the time of our
young lives? I never knew two weeks to go so fast. Never mind, we've got
two days more--and two days _only_ unless I get some answers to my
'ad.'"

"Where's your patrol this morning?"

"Stalking; they've a date with a robin. I would have gone along except I
didn't see much chance of any of them imperilling their lives taking
snapshots of robins. So I stayed home to do a little packing--things we
won't need again. But no use thinking about that, I suppose; that's what
I tell them. We've had some good times, all right. Seems a pity we have
to go just when Mr. Temple and his daughter have come. You're a lucky
kid; you stay till the last gun is fired, don't you?"

"Yes, I'm going to stay till we close up. Come on, stroll up the hill
with me. I've got to raise the colors. If you've only two days more
there's no use moping around in here."

"All right, wait a minute and I'll be with you--dry the pensive tear, as
your friend Roy would say. He's an all-around scout, isn't he?"

"Yes, he came right off the cover of the Manual, Mr. Ellsworth says."

"You're a bully troop, you fellows. Gee, I envy you. Trouble with us,"
he continued, as they walked up the hill together, "is we haven't any
scoutmaster. I'm scoutmaster and patrol leader r