Thus he was driven to the refuge of
conversation.
Balancing himself perilously on the rail in an unfrequented part of the
steamer, he asked Skinny about the coveted award. "They're not going to
put you through a lot of book sprints, are they?" he inquired.
"I'm going to get it Saturday night," Skinny said. "I bet all my troop
will like me then, won't they? I have to stand up straight when I go on
the platform. Some fellows get a lot of clapping when they go on the
platform. I know two fellows that are going to clap when I go on. Will
you clap when I go on? Because I like you a lot."
"I'll stamp with both feet," said Hervey.
"And will you clap?"
"When you hear me clap you'll think it's a whole troop."
"I bet your troop think a lot of you."
"They could be arrested if they said out loud what they think of me."
"My father got arrested once."
"Well, I hope they won't trip you up. That was a fine stunt you did,
Skinny. When those trustees and scoutmasters once get busy with the
handbook, _good night_, it reminds you of boyhood's happy school days."
"It's all on page thirty," Skinny said; "and I've done all of those ten
things, because the tracking made ten, and Mr. Elting said as long as
you said you saw me do it, it's all right, because he knows you tell the
truth."
"Well, that's one good thing about me," Hervey laughed.
"And he said you came near winning the Eagle award, too. He said you
only just missed it. I bet you're a hero, ain't you?"
"Some hero.
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